Preservation

Spark visits the unsung heroes of the art world — conservators, preservationists and fans who are breathing new life into art works created decades and even centuries ago.

Since 1981, San Francisco’s very own Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is dedicated to historically accurate performances on period instruments, from expensively preserved harpsichords to a viola dating back to the American Revolution.

Next, see the science behind the highly trained team of art doctors at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s Conservation Labs restoring nearly 20,000 broken, torn, chipped and dirty art objects to their original splendor.

Finally, Legacy Oral History Program merges with San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum to take on the challenges of documenting the temporal art form of dance as they incorporate oral histories, graphic notation, video and other ephemera to preserve the work of the Bay Area’s great choreographers.

Preservation 18 June,2003Spark

In this Episode


Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Visit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco to meet the professional conservators and the curator of textiles.



Legacy Oral History Program

See how the Legacy Oral History Program has taken on the challenges of documenting the temporal art form of dance.



Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra

Hear how the early-music ensemble, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is keeping old-world musical instrumentation and traditions alive.


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