In Our Hands: Chinese Painting Conservators in US Museums

This documentary was made possible by the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This 50-minute film explores the changing field of Chinese painting conservation through interviews with two generations of conservators working in US museums. Featured museums include the NMAA, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, and University of Michigan Museum of Art.

There will be a Q&A after the event with the film director and NMAA conservators.

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Synopsis

Whether carefully reinforcing the cracks in an ancient handscroll or remounting the portrait of an imperial ancestor, traditional Chinese painting restorers have cared for Chinese artworks in United States museums for over thirty years. Now focused on passing along their knowledge and skills, these dedicated artisans are training the next generation of art conservators to take on these responsibilities. Through in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of conservation studios in US museums, In Our Hands captures the generational, cultural, and educational shift taking place in the field of Chinese painting conservation. Produced by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art under the direction of Eros Zhao for Templux Films, this unprecedented documentary reveals the personal stories of nine conservators dedicated to preserving their traditional craft while advancing the field, an undertaking that is vital to the future of Chinese cultural heritage in the West.

Dir.: Eros Zhao, United States, 2022, 50 min. (English and Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles)