Voices Mag

Every German knows the saying about the elephant in the china shop (in English it’s usually „the bull“) and so it may come as a surprise that there are elephants in Dresden's Porzellansammlung (porcelain collection). However, these are themselves made of the fine material and so they do not cause any damage, but would rather themselves be threatened by the dangers that the proverbial elephant means for the precious material. In a cooperation with Fraunhofer IKTS, it has now been possible to restore one of the elephants in the Porzellansammlung that was missing its trunk using 3D printing.

With an extensive restoration at the Kaiserzimmer – previously known as the Weinling-Zimmer – this important suit of chambers, located in the west wing of the Bergpalais, Schloss Pillnitz, is again part of the visitors’ trajectory at the Kunstgewerbemuseum. Now that these outstanding rooms of early neoclassical style shine again in their former glory, they also attest to a history full of turns. Christiane Ernek-van der Goes on the cultural history of this masterwork. A reprint from our blog.

As time goes by, contemporary art too is aging. Often one has to deal with works that are ephemeral and perishable, as well as time-based media and materials. We’ve spoken to Franziska Klinkmüller, the conservator in charge of the Schenkung Sammlung Hoffmann at the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, about the challenges of restoration of contemporary art and aspects related to sustainability.