M+ is a museum dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, design and architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Located in Hong Kong’s WestK, we are one of the leading museums of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world. The museum reflects our unique time and place, building on Hong Kong’s historic balance of the local and the international to define a distinctive and innovative voice for Asia’s twenty-first century.
Conservation at M+ focuses on the preservation and long-term care of a diverse and unparallel collection of twentieth- and twenty-first-century visual culture, including design, architecture, moving image, and visual art. The team employs contemporary conservation approaches to address the challenges of diverse materials and media, technology integration, and artist intent. This includes detailed documentation of materials, techniques, and practices; addressing ephemeral and live elements; implementing preventive measures to mitigate deterioration; and developing customized methods that respect the artist’s vision. Central to their work are interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaborations, engagement with living artists or pertinent stakeholders, collaboration with external colleagues and institutions, and the use of up-to-date technology for digital preservation.
Housed in a state-of-the-art facility spanning 1,600 sqm, the conservation studios and labs are furnished with equipment tailored to the unique needs of various disciplines. Working collaboratively, the international team has specialisations in objects and sculptures, installations, paintings, Asian and Western paper, photographs, time-based media, preventive conservation, and scientific research, ensuring the care and preservation of the collection. Scientific research at M+ encompasses material characterization, preventive conservation, technical and treatment studies, and sustainability practices.
M+ provides a dynamic and evolving work environment and our Conservation team welcomes enthusiastic conservation professionals to meet the challenges of managing conservation needs and collection access. For a glimpse into the work of M+ Conservation team, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H1UmaIR7Bo