Research on Conservation and Restoration of Murals

The project has enabled several activities to take place, including the "6th Qujiang Mural Forum". Successfully organised since 2013 and held five times so far, the Forum has gradually established itself as an influential platform for academic exchange in the field of conservation and restoration of murals. From 13 to 17 October 2025, the Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts in Xi'an hosted the "6th Qujiang Mural Forum - International Academic Conference on the Exchange of Conservation and Restoration Practices between China and Slovenia".

This year's Forum provided an opportunity for in-depth professional cooperation through various activities, including workshops and lectures on conservation and restoration techniques for wall paintings in Slovenia and China. The programme also included specialised visits and academic and professional exchanges to conservation institutions in Xi'an, Zhengzhou and other locations, with the aim of strengthening international cooperation in the field of mural conservation.

The workshop, led by Martina Lesar Kikelj, Anita Kavčič Klančar and Marta Bensa during the first week of the visit, introduced the Chinese experts to methods of cleaning and consolidating wall paintings that are typical of Slovenian restoration practice.
Representatives of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia - Martina Lesar Kikelj, Anita Kavčič Klančar and Marta Bensa - contributed significantly to the success of the project with their expertise in the field of conservation and restoration of wall paintings.

The project also supported an expert conference at Zhengzhou University, which took place during the last week of the visit. The conference focused on the exchange of Slovenian approaches to the protection of cultural heritage and the presentation of the practices of various Chinese institutions involved in the protection and conservation of not only murals but also archaeological heritage.
In the final days of the visit, the project will host more expert presentations, technical workshops and field visits. Slovenian and Chinese experts will learn about modern technologies and practical experience in the conservation and restoration of wall paintings, thus contributing to the preservation of the world's cultural heritage.

The three-week International Forestry Experts Project has been successfully completed, but there are further collaborations with Chinese colleagues in different areas of cultural heritage, which we look forward to in the future. Slovenian representatives would like to thank all the organisers, representatives of universities, museums, scientific institutes and many institutions in China related to cultural heritage. The Silk Road, which linked us in the past, also links us in the modern world.

Partner site: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/YtKraNew9RuhzYiayEqoKQ