Daegu Kansong Art Museum Restores 30 Regional Cultural Heritage Items

Restoration of 30 Items from 22 Collections Owned by Public Institutions and Citizens

Daegu Kansong Art Museum has restored 30 items from 22 collections owned by public institutions and citizens through its regional paper-based cultural heritage conservation project.

A conservation specialist at Daegu Kansong Art Museum is carrying out the restoration process of "Gwon Munhae Yuseo." Provided by Daegu Kansong Art Museum

The museum announced on the 24th that it had carried out restoration work on 26 items from 18 collections held by three institutions-Daegu Metropolitan City, Daegu Art Museum, and Yecheon Museum-as well as 4 items from 4 collections owned by Daegu citizens, as part of its "Public Cultural Facility Conservation and Restoration Cooperation and Support Project." The museum selected the items for restoration based on their value, degree of damage, and potential for use, and promoted restoration and preservation management in cooperation with each institution.

The "Materials Related to Children's Literature Author Yoon Bokjin" owned by Daegu Metropolitan City had suffered deterioration due to the aging of modern paper. The restoration team completed the restoration by supplementing missing parts and performing color matching. These materials were released to the public through the exhibition "Restoration and Conservation: Connecting Memories."

Eight pieces of "Gunja Hwamhok" by Seo Donggyun, owned by Daegu Art Museum, were originally kept as separate sheets but were restored into a folding screen format, enhancing both preservation and usability. "Gwon Munhae Yuseo," held by Yecheon Museum, had been damaged by moisture and mold, but was restored through cleaning, supplementing missing sections, and organizing the text fragments. Yecheon Museum plans to use this as a basis to pursue registration as a national heritage asset.

Additionally, through the "Citizen Participation Restoration Contest," the museum restored 4 items from 4 privately owned collections. These included "Dokliphyeolsa," a record of the independence movement, documents related to local organizations, newspapers, and wedding letters-materials reflecting regional identity and personal stories. The restored items were returned to their owners, along with guidance on preservation and management methods.

Based on this project, Daegu Kansong Art Museum plans to continue collaborative projects aimed at preserving the region's paper-based cultural heritage. On the first floor of the museum, the "Visible Restoration Room" is open to visitors on weekdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., allowing them to observe the restoration process.

Lee Hana, head of the restoration team, stated, "This project supported the restoration of materials owned by both institutions and individuals," adding, "We will continue to work with local institutions and citizens to preserve our paper-based cultural heritage."