Aotearoa Art Guide

Care for paintings and art objects

Caring for art in Aotearoa New Zealand is not about expensive equipment or specialist training.

Care for paintings and art objects
Aotearoa Art Guide , CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Caring for art in Aotearoa New Zealand is not about expensive equipment or specialist training. It is about understanding the environment your home creates and making small, repeatable decisions. The goal is a practical system for protecting paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and taonga while keeping them part of daily life.

The guiding principle is simple: protect the object while making it enjoyable to live with. A work sealed away in storage is preserved but dead; a work damaged by sun or humidity is lost. Find the middle ground where the work stays safe and you still see it every day.

First: Know What You Are Caring For

Before you do anything, identify the materials. A painting is not one thing. It is a canvas or board, a ground layer, paint (oil, acrylic, tempera, or watercolour), and often a varnish or glaze. Each layer reacts differently to light, humidity, and handling. The same rule applies to sculpture, works on paper, and taonga.

If the object is Māori or Pacific, care is not only physical. Many works carry whakapapa, tapu, or community significance. Do not assume Western conservation rules apply. Contact the artist, their whānau or community, or an institution such as Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand) or Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. They can advise on cultural protocols for handling, display, and storage. Treat these objects as living cultural property, not décor.

How to Care for a Painting or Art Object at Home Without Damaging It

You are the first line of defence. Most damage is not caused by disasters; it is caused by small, repeated mistakes: hanging a canvas in direct sun, wiping a varnish with a damp cloth, leaning a framed work against a radiator. The method below gives you a home-care system, a simple condition checklist, and clear signs that you need a conservator. It is not a substitute for professional treatment.

the material below is an independent resource and is not affiliated with, or a statement from, the former TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre or the James Wallace Arts Trust. The Trust’s current operations, collection, and plans are out of scope here.

The Rule That Protects Everything

Every decision comes back to one balance: protect the object while making it enjoyable to live with. If a display choice puts the work at risk, the work wins. If a care routine makes the work invisible, the routine is wrong.

What Actually Damages Art

Most damage is slow and invisible until it is too late. The main agents are light, humidity, and handling.

Light

Light damage is cumulative and irreversible. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and visible light cause fading, yellowing, and embrittlement. The International Council of Museums (ICOM) recommends that light-sensitive works (watercolours, prints, photographs, textiles) be displayed at no more than 50 lux, and oil and acrylic paintings at no more than 150-200 lux (ICOM, 2020). Direct sunlight through a window can exceed 50,000 lux, so even a few hours of sun a week can fade a watercolour within months.

Take these four steps:

  • Keep works out of direct sunlight.
  • Use UV-filtering glazing on framed pieces.
  • Rotate light-sensitive works every three to four months.
  • Use LEDs with a dimmer where possible; they emit negligible UV and infrared.

Humidity and Temperature

Relative humidity is the second major threat. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa’s conservation guidelines recommend a stable relative humidity of 45-55% and a temperature of 18-22°C for mixed collections. Sudden swings are more damaging than a constant “wrong” level. Wood panels, canvas, and paint layers all expand and contract at different rates; a drop from 60% to 40% in a day can cause flaking or cracking. Wood panels and ivory are the most sensitive and can crack or warp with sudden swings.

In Aotearoa’s climate, the main risk is humidity spikes in summer and dry interiors in winter. Take these steps:

  • Monitor with a hygrometer.
  • Avoid placing works near heaters, air-conditioning vents, or uninsulated exterior walls.

Daily Care and Handling

Before you touch any work, inspect your hands. Clean, dry hands are essential; wear cotton gloves for unvarnished metal, photographs, or works with fragile surfaces. Lift a painting by its frame, never by the top edge or hanging wire. Carry small sculptures with two hands, one supporting the base and one steadying the body.

Dust with a soft, dry artist’s brush or a microfibre cloth. Do not use water, commercial cleaning sprays, or feather dusters. If the surface is flaking, do not dust at all. Stop and contact a conservator.

The Condition Checklist

Every few months, take five minutes and check each work:

  • Surface: Look for new cracks, blisters, flaking paint, or discoloured varnish.
  • Frame and mount: Check for loose joints, sagging canvas, or rusting hardware.
  • Back: Inspect for mould, insect activity, or water stains.
  • Display area: Confirm the work is still out of direct sun and away from heat sources.

If you find mould, isolate the work in a dry, well-ventilated space and call a conservator. Do not wipe it.

When to Call a Conservator

Some jobs are not for home care. Contact a qualified paintings or objects conservator if you see any of these:

  • Flaking or lifting paint
  • Active mould or mildew
  • A tear, puncture, or impact damage
  • Discoloured or blooming varnish
  • Cracks in wood, stone, or ceramic that are widening

The New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Materials (NZCCM) maintains a searchable register of accredited conservators. Use it.