Play it forward – training the trainers in conservation risk management in Museum of Christian Art

Abstract

The Museum of Christian Art (MoCA), Goa houses a unique collection of Christian art objects which are a perfect symbiosis of two cultural manifestations – Indian and European. These hybrid collections are rare in the context of India’s cultural diversity and multi-religious expressions. The Museum’s mission is to preserve and protect Goa’s cultural heritage, while also promoting the Museum as a centre for education, conservation and research.

MoCA was first set up on 1994, in collaboration with Calouste Gubenkian Foundation and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. In 2002, it was relocated to its current location within the 17th century Convent of Santa Monica in Old Goa. Staffing levels and training were augmented in 2005 to include curricular internship placements focusing on Preventive Conservation. This opportunity brought into focus the need for a long-term plan to address preventive conservation issues and carry out risk assessments.

Between 2017-2020, the museum underwent an extensive upgradation, which focused on the renovation of the building, the conservation of the collection and new museographic layout. MoCA’s current managing committee mission is concentrating on collection preservation, conservation and restoration projects, providing internship placements, and collaborating with researchers and research institutions from India and abroad.

It was in this context that the idea for a joint participation in ICOM’s solidarity project “Training the Trainers” became a good opportunity to resume the preventive conservation plan and empower MoCA’s own team in Conservation Risk Assessment (CRA), thus providing this institution with additional tools, confidence, and autonomy to undertake its mission.

In fact, both the collection and the built heritage require periodic care as they are affected by various environmental factors, derived from Goa’s subtropical climate, allied to exposure to UV radiation and inadequate storage facilities, where 52% of the collection is kept. Special attention is required during monsoon periods, increasingly severe by the year. Covid-19 also caused some disruption in monitoring routines.

The custodians feel that without a comprehensive preventive conservation plan, nor the required expertise and training in Risk Management, they are constantly facing challenges in these fields, leading to expensive interventions in the museum areas. Bearing in mind the lack of appropriate training in this field in Goa, this joint application turned out to be a unique opportunity to overcome this challenge and support MoCA’s team in devising, implementing and maintain a CRA plan and long-term strategy. The training structure was divided in 8 virtual sessions of 1 hour each and supported by the resources facilitated and made available by ICOM-CC and Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg learning platform TEACH:ABLE. CRA steps will be facilitated during the sessions and the final assignment of the trainees will be CRA of the collection in exhibition and storage. According to results, a risk management plan will be devised to address the identified hazards. When the training is completed, MoCA, as a reference institution on Goan Christian Art, will be empowered to start passing on the best practices to other Institutions, within the State and beyond that promote this unique heritage through their collections.