In a bid to reveal the magic of restoration of works of art, we take you to the National Art Gallery in Sofia. There Polina Troyanova who leads the Gallery’s Conservation & Restoration Department gives us some insights into the essence of her work:

„The job requires huge patience, plenty of time and also calm. The point is that a conservator-restorer should cherish love and respect for the works of art. He or she should really love art and be willing to preserve it. The future matters and in fact we work with the past for the sake of posterity.”

And indeed, the enthusiasm and calm with which Polina tells us about her job suggest that she feels deep love for art. How did she begin her job as conservator-restorer?

„My path was long. I was trained in art at high school and then I studied at the National Academy of Art in Sofia choosing conservation and restoration. It went naturally. This job suits my personality quite well. I have always been keen on things larger than me, things of greater importance, and art has great importance. It carries culture with it, virtually everything. If art can exist in the future so that generations to come have the chance of enjoying it, this would be really wonderful.”

You are lucky if you turn your passion into an occupation. Polina tells us that the most rewarding part of her day is when she loses track of time as is absorbed restoring a work of art. She compares this state to meditation. However, aren’t there moments of loss of direction or hesitation?

„There are such moments but we assist each other. Conservation and restoration is a team exercise – you cannot possibly manage on your own. For every project we necessarily need four hands and four eyes at least. Each work of art should be seen from two perspectives – through the eyes of somebody who is experienced, and of someone younger whose perception is not burdened by habit.”

It is an axiom that every work of art requires a different amount of attention and time. What determines the time given to restoration of a particular work of art?

“We are currently working on an exhibition of old artworks with curator Doroteya Sokolova. We have been engaged with it for two years now and we have 160 items. Each of them requires different attention. Some of the works take months to restore, others – just a few days. It is up to the state of the work of art.”

This fall, the conservation & restoration workshops of the National Art Gallery open their doors to the audience. The initiative is part of the Educational Programs and Projects Department and aims to introduce both the youngest art lovers and adult visitors of the gallery to the magic of the conservation and restoration process. The participants will have the opportunity to visit conservation and restoration laboratories that otherwise remain invisible for the public. The project includes an itinerary guided by a conservator-restorer who will acquaint visitors with the intricacies and secrets of restoration work, as well as with various types of materials and tools conservators-restorers use. Visitors will also be invited to watch many on-site demonstrations in the labs and will have the opportunity to get acquainted with "the doctors of the works of art". They will be presented with the magic of conservation and restoration work at the museum.

English Daniela Konstantinova