From the working bench to the display case

The conservation of the interior model of the Museum of Islamic Art by I.M. Pei.

From 2012 to 2016 I worked as a paper and book conservator at the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar. The museum is a incredible building designed by the Chinese-American architect I.M.Pei on an artificial island in Doha. For five years, I enjoyed every day spent working in this magnificent building overlooking Doha Skyline.

Last October, I returned to Doha to conserve the interior model for the exhibition I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle. The model represents an intermediate stage in Pei’s design of the MIA, as several elements were modified in the final version.

The model is in poor condition due to inadequate conservation and storage conditions until its transfer to Qatar. It has suffered damage from water, climatic fluctuations and exposure to dust. As a result, many parts are unstable, broken, deformed, loose, detached or lost. In particular, the chandelier and the long glass window composed of six separate parts have fallen off. In addition, one of the tallest columns was missing, as were the bridge and the top of the entrance canopy.

As a paper restorer, preserving this model proved quite challeging due to the nature of the materials used and the technical complexity of the object. It was made of veneer, white foam board for modelling, black foam for the interior of the base, Plexiglas or transparent plastic sheet, plastic, adhesive and metal. It was undoubtedly one of those projects “Beyond My Usual Scope, Within My Skillset”! that I was particularly delighted to have completed successfully!

The treatment consisted of cleaning and securing detached, loose and raised parts of the walls, floor, railings and windows.

Blue adhesive tape was an essential material that helped to keep loose parts in place during gluing.

The missing colomn (on the left) was recreated with foam, veneer and wood.

The missing pinnacle of the entrance canopy was recreated with 3D printing. This work was carried out by Jaime Escarate from EMPTY, which hired me for this project.

In the end, the model regained its stability, unity and coherence.

It was placed in a showcase by the museum team and art handlers.

I would like to thank EMPTY for placing their trust in me for this project, as well as Stefan Masarovic, object conservator at the MIA, for his assistance.