Delta Conservation
Heritage Preservation
Information
What we are
Delta
Conservation
is a private conservation business based in Hawthorn, Melbourne. It is a collaboration between two
interdisciplinary conservators who work predominantly on the conservation of paintings, wall
paintings, murals, stone materials and built heritage.
Our experience
Our project experience includes work in galleries, museums, World Heritage and National Heritage listed sites, private community engagement projects and within heritage advocacy.
Our experience
Our project experience includes work in galleries, museums, World Heritage and National Heritage listed sites, private community engagement projects and within heritage advocacy.
Our process
We are passionate about working on a broad range of heritage materials, and look towards learning and developing the historical aspects of the work we treat. Trained in Australia and Europe, we formulate treatment methodologies unique to each project by utilising a mixture of traditional and contemporary materials, techniques and analyses to ensure a high-quality outcome.
Our aim
While we maintain a strong treatment skillset, we aim to minimise interventive practices on heritage materials and to preserve as much of their age and character as possible. We also aim to increase the awareness of the industry of conservation in Australia.
We are passionate about working on a broad range of heritage materials, and look towards learning and developing the historical aspects of the work we treat. Trained in Australia and Europe, we formulate treatment methodologies unique to each project by utilising a mixture of traditional and contemporary materials, techniques and analyses to ensure a high-quality outcome.
Our aim
While we maintain a strong treatment skillset, we aim to minimise interventive practices on heritage materials and to preserve as much of their age and character as possible. We also aim to increase the awareness of the industry of conservation in Australia.
Ethics and memberships
We abide strictly with the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM) Code of Ethics & Practice, The Burra Charter. We are members of both the AICCM and the International Institute of Conservation (IIC).
Community practices
Working with local communities across Australia, India, Italy and Switzerland has instilled in us a strong will to collaborate with and to understand the holistic tangible and intangible aspects of heritage. We believe that conservation is about collaboration, and that developing strategies for sharing and maintaining our heritage is integral to its preservation.
We abide strictly with the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM) Code of Ethics & Practice, The Burra Charter. We are members of both the AICCM and the International Institute of Conservation (IIC).
Community practices
Working with local communities across Australia, India, Italy and Switzerland has instilled in us a strong will to collaborate with and to understand the holistic tangible and intangible aspects of heritage. We believe that conservation is about collaboration, and that developing strategies for sharing and maintaining our heritage is integral to its preservation.
About Us
Harpreet Tanday
Wall Paintings, Stone, Built Heritage Conservator
Harpreet is an Italian Conservator with a Bachelor Degree in the Conservation of Cultural Materials from the Academy of Belle Arti “G.B. Cignaroli”, Italy, and a Master Degree of Arts in the Conservation of Cultural Materials from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Italian Switzerland (SUPSI), Switzerland.
Harpreet is a specialised wall painting, stone, architectural surface and built heritage conservator with a large experience also working on wooden objects, metal sculptures, textiles, easel paintings, gilded surfaces, and modern materials and over 15 years of experience in the field of conservation. She has worked on different artworks in Europe, Asia and Australia, both for the public and private sector, inclusive of managerial positions.
She is passionate about material technology, traditional and non-traditional materials, and scientific analysis with a strong interest in treatment methodology development. Harpreet has an immense understanding of heritage materials, and is an expert in performing conservation treatments. Her rigorous training across Italy, Switzerland, India and Australia, alongside her technical knowledge and experience, is one of Delta Conservation’s greatest assets.
In August 2021 she published her master thesis regarding cleaning procedures with chelating agents in the Journal of Cultural Heritage among several other publications. She gave public presentations and actively promoted conservation projects that she worked on at the Universities (India, Switzerland), Symposiums in Conservation (India, Italy, Indonesia and China).
Peter Dellas
Paintings Conservator
Peter is an Australian Conservator with a Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts from the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, and a Master of Cultural Materials Conservation from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Peter is specialised in easel painting with experience in wall painting conservation, treating and examining contemporary coated surfaces, metal and stone. He has worked and trained across Australia, India and Switzerland both privately and with institutions, such as an internship at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Drawing heavily on studies into technical art history, material science and physical chemistry, Peter is highly engaged in exploring material behaviour, technically examining materials and emulating artists’ methods of manufacture in order to empirically discover what the properties of a heritage material may be and how best to proceed with anticipating its behaviour in response to a treatment.
Peter gears himself towards maintaining and implementing traditional conservation techniques and practices while simultaneously reaching forward towards emerging systems and technology. He has completed research on gel systems reliant on non-ionic surfactant and their behaviour on natural resin varnish films.
With experience in industrial colour matching and manufacturing traditional painting materials, such as lead white and UV-bleached and hand washed linseed oil, Peter is strongly engaged in the observation of art from a technical and historical perspective.
Services
We offer a broad range of conservation services including: the documentation and technical examination of heritage, art and related materials;
the treatment of heritage and art objects; and relevant collection care procedures. Please scroll below for a more detailed list of our services and feel free to contact us for more information.
Documentation and technical examination:
· Graphical drawing
· Photography and videography of artworks
· Environmental monitoring
· Digitisation of artwork
· Multi-spectral imaging
· Sampling
· Microscopy
· Historical scheme
assessment
· Photogrammetry
· Material characterization
· Research on material working properties
Conservation Treatment:
· On-site and in-atelier
· Emergency intervention
· Cleaning; dry, aqueous and solvent
· Graffiti removal
· Consolidation of paint and support
· Structural treatments
· Grouting of delaminated plaster
· Filling of losses following surface
topography
· Retouching
· Application of protective coatings
Collection and care:
· Condition assessment reports
· Collection Surveys
· Collection cataloguing
· Risk and prevention assessment planning
· Significance assessment
· Preventive conservation reports
· Monitoring and maintenance plans
· Disaster planning
· Community engagement and outreach
· Public presentations
Contact
Please feel free to contact us for a free initial meeting and consultation
E: enquiries@deltaconservation.org | T: +61 403 675 083
