M+ will present an afternoon of discussions focusing on the conservation of contemporary visual culture. This event will bring together international experts to explore the challenges of preserving unconventional materials and ensuring that museums remain relevant to their audiences while adopting sustainable practices.

As a contemporary visual culture museum, M+ is faced with the challenge of preserving an extremely diverse collection encompassing a multitude of unconventional materials. The first panel, ‘Contemporary Art Conservation: Beyond Materiality’ will explore how conservation practices have evolved to meet the needs of contemporary art and examine where the field stands today. It will discuss how conservation goes beyond preserving physical materials to address the meaning and experience of artworks, ensuring they remain relevant and accessible for future generations.

The second panel, ‘Preserving Contemporary Collections Sustainably’, will explore how museums and cultural institutions are working to conserve collections sustainably. Balancing the integration of sustainable practices with the immediate demands of welcoming audiences and building public engagement presents a challenge that must be solved. Achieving this balance requires collaboration across various museum departments to align their perspective and drive meaningful change.