Conservation Organisations in Europe 572
Chamber of Restorers in Slovakia

by Barbara Davidson

website: http://www.restauro.sk

contact: komora.restauratorov@restauro.sk

General data

▪ Established in 1994
▪ 28 specializations
▪ 192 members
▪ 3 membership categories
▪ Access to university graduates
▪ Independent work reserved to licensed restorers
▪ Member of E.C.C.O.

Presentation

Professional restorers in Slovakia, who want to work on listed heritage objects, have to be a member of the Chamber of Restorers (Komora reštaurátorov, further only KR). The KR is a self-governing, non political professional body and a law entity which was established on the base of Slovak law act 200, from the July 14, 1994 on the 1st September, 1994. If you re interested in reading the law itself, you can do so even in English on our web site www.restauro.sk.

Why such a body was created and how it was possible we have to look back on the development of the situation in restoration in the socialistic Slovak Republic, which used to be a part of the Czechoslovak Socialistic Republic. From 1973, in the times of socalled “normalization” after the invasion of the Warsaw Pact armies in August 1968, the execution of restoration activity as a freelance profession in Slovakia was stopped and forbidden by the Ministry of Culture of SSR. The Ministry composed of communists did not trust freelance artists with their “suspicious” ways of thinking and production, even working on objects of cultural heritage. On top of that, from the second half of the nineteen seventies this situation worsened by the  traumatising fact of the invitation of a certain part of Polish restorers from the Polish state institution PKZ to work on heritage objects in Slovakia. Slovak restorers could only work as employees of galleries and museums. Immovable cultural heritage was for them not accessible. By this decision the space for work, professional development and growth of Slovak restorers was lost for a long period of time. After the political change in autumn of 1989 the long-term absence of a natural and fluent evolution in the field of restoration worked as a strong accelerator of the future development. After years of the profession's suppression the restorers have been well aware of the need and necessity to decide about and for themselves without mediation of other parties. This resulted in the only possible solution - attempt for constitution of a chamber based on law. As a source for preparation of specialised bases for the proposal of the law we cooperated with our Czech colleagues and used data from partner professional organisations abroad.The proposal itself was formulated so that it would reflect our own specific situation and needs in restoration in Slovakia.

Membership in KR

Who can become a member of KR? The procedure is described in our basic documents which you can look up on our website mentioned above. But basically the membership is open for university graduates, physical persons with specialization in restoration – in Slovakia the only school providing university level of education in restoration is the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava (AFAD). The membership does not automatically entitle to work independently and the issuing of a licence, even in case of MA graduates is based on a 3 years period of practical execution of the profession under  supervision of a licensed restorer. The KR invites also Bachelors to become members, to be able to understand and learn better and get into contact with practice in real conditions. The state examination which is provided from the Academy is sufficient for a restorer to work independently on private collections and collection objects of galleries and museums,  which are not listed as national heritage. The aim for the future though is to have all collections which are currently treated under another law special for museums and galleries to be considered as listed. At the moment, institutions dealing with restoration of art objects can employ people with lower education or non-members of KR, but in case of restoration of a listed artwork, they have to work under supervision of a member of KR. It means, for these types of institutions it is preferable to employ restorers, members of KR. Currently KR has about 200 members which can apply for 28 specialisations and members in categories cooperating member and honourable member.

The Chamber works according to standard democratic principles. Starting with self determination and asserting of restorers in the cultural and social space the Chamber has gradually become an integral and accepted part of the institutions in the area of heritage protection in Slovakia. It registers its members, protects and creates conditions for their practise, professional growth and development, watches over their professional activity.

The Chamber of Restorers is the highest professional guarantor of the quality of restoration in Slovakia.

Conservation-Restoration education in Slovakia

The education into becoming a conservator/restorer in Slovakia is provided also on the level of a high school graduation (pupils 14 – 18 years old, or as lifelong learning) which specialises in conservation/restoration of collection objects of applied art from galleries, museums and libraries. It is realised in a four year study program finishing with a practical and theoretical examination.
The pupils absolve artistic preparation and restoration practice. The theoretical part of the education is in the area of arthistory, iconography and restoration technology. This type of education is provided in two state high schools for  applied arts – in Bratislava since 1980 and in Košice since 1981.
The university levels are the 4 year study to become a BA and then you can apply for MA studies, which takes another two years. It means you will study for 6 years in total. In the year 2000 the AFAD (www.vsvu.sk) opened the possibility of a post-graduate study in restoration, which is awarded with the Art D title. To be accepted to the AFAD it is necessary topass the talent examination which is determined according to your pre-choice of specialisation (either restoration of paintings or sculptures). The pass rate is usually 10% of applicants. The existence of schooling for restorers in state accredited schools begun in Slovakia already in the year 1949 when the Academy of Fine Arts (Vysoká škola výtvarných umení) was established. The restoration department was started by a personality from the Czech Republic – Prof. Karel Veselý. At those times in Czechoslovakia already existed by the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague the School of Restoration of Painted Artworks established in 1945 by Prof. Bohuslav Slánský. The Bratislava‘ AFAD offers these specialisations in restoration: easel paintings, panel paintings, wooden (polychrome) sculpture, stone sculpture, metal, paper, photography and textile.

About the author

Mgr.art. Barbara Davidson is member of the Board of Komora Reštaurátorov (Chamber of Restorers), delegate for E.C.C.O. and works as a conservator-restorer of easel paintings in the City Gallery of Bratislava.