The Paper Conservation Lab

07/03/2026

ARCO 2026 ✨

Visiting ARCOmadrid is always an inspiring experience, a chance to take the pulse of contemporary art, discover artists and reconnect with colleagues from across the art world.

Walking through the galleries, encountering bold proposals and works that invite you to pause and reflect reminds me why art remains such a powerful language.

As a paper conservator, these moments are also a reminder of the importance of caring for and preserving the works that shape our cultural and creative heritage.

I always leave ARCO with something: new ideas, inspiring conversations and many artworks that stay in the mind long after the visit.

05/03/2026

Attending the 27 Jornadas de Conservación de Arte Contemporáneo at the Museo Reina Sofía.

As paper conservators, we often attend specialised meetings focused on works on paper. But events like these are a valuable opportunity to step outside our own discipline and learn from the challenges, approaches and solutions our colleagues encounter when working with other materials and artistic practices.

Despite the diversity of materials and techniques, what ultimately connects us as conservators is shared ground:
respect for the artist’s intention, the integrity of the artwork, and the responsibility to preserve cultural heritage for future generations.

A highlight for me was the talk by Silvia Montero Redondo, presenting the new preventive conservation and sustainability strategies at the museum.

Events like this remind us how essential dialogue between disciplines is for the future of conservation.

More about the conference:
https://f.mtr.cool/njzmezztld

05/03/2026

Great exhibition on Lucian Freud currently on view at the National Portrait Gallery.

The show presents a strong selection of works on paper and beautifully illustrates the evolution of the artist — from intimate early drawings to the well-known etchings of his later years.

What a wonderful surprise it was to discover that the artwork chosen for the main exhibition poster, Girl with a Fig Leaf, on loan from the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, is a piece I had the privilege of restoring in the past.

A very special moment of reconnection with a work that I once had the responsibility (and pleasure) of caring for.

🔗 More about the exhibition:
https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2026/lucian-freud-drawing-into-painting

artrestoration

24/02/2026

06/01/2026

Washing of a 16th-century drawing by controlled water spraying on a suction table.
A precise treatment aimed at reducing degradation products and improving the stability of the paper support, always respecting the integrity of the artwork.


Lavado de un dibujo del siglo XVI mediante pulverización controlada de agua sobre mesa de succión.
Una técnica precisa que permite reducir productos de degradación y mejorar la estabilidad del soporte, respetando siempre la integridad de la obra.

04/01/2026

🛠️ En proceso…
Estamos trabajando en la apertura de la sede del taller en Asturias, España.
Un espacio que poco a poco va tomando forma para el cuidado y la conservación del arte en papel.
📩 Ya estamos acogiendo nuevos proyectos en la sede España!
✉️ Consultas por email: [email protected]

🛠️ Work in progress…
We’re currently working on the opening of our workshop space in Asturias, Spain.
A place that is gradually taking shape, dedicated to the care and conservation of works on paper.
📩 Now opening to new projects at the EU studio, Spain
✉️ Enquiries by email: [email protected]

22/12/2025

Freshly arrived from the printer: business cards, postcards and stickers. All ready to start accompanying our restored artworks, as well as our upcoming clients and collaborators.

17/12/2025

New project arriving at the Lab. This time, a broken pipe in an apartment caused a flood, unfortunately affecting several artworks, documents, photographs and personal objects of great artistic and sentimental value.

09/12/2025

While reviewing my archives, I came across these images from the installation of the temporary exhibition Bern and Hilla Becher at the National Museum Cardiff in late 2021.
I had the privilege of taking part in the installation as the conservator responsible for the condition checking of all works on paper upon arrival from various lenders and prior to the exhibition setup.

Once again, I had the pleasure of working alongside the incredible Museum team, with whom I have collaborated on several occasions in the past — this time through my previous company, Aquatint.

https://museum.wales/news/1251/Bernd-and-Hilla-Bechers-unique-photography-of-Welsh-industrial-structures-acquired-by-Amgueddfa-Cymru---National-Museum-Wales/

08/12/2025

It is always both sad and beautiful to see an artwork leave the Lab, when a project comes to an end. But this one in particular has been a very special guest, even if it was almost in mint condition.

02/12/2025

One of the positive outcomes of the pandemic has been the ability to attend online sessions and trainings with ease. Among my favorites are those organized by IAP (International Academic Projects), offering highly specialized, intensive training for professionals worldwide.

Recently, I attended a talk at Tate on Mounting and Framing of Oversized Works on Paper by Simon Philpott. He shared in detail the challenges faced when mounting large works on paper, where fragility, weight, and dimensions converge to make the process a true test for conservators. From glazing and backing boards to adhesives and hinge types, every decision impacts how safely a work can be displayed today, and preserved for the future. Understanding these techniques is essential to ensure both the artwork’s integrity and its long-term conservation.