25 Nov 2010

ROMANIA / NUCLEAR ART PRESERVATION

UN Atomic Energy Agency uses nuclear techniques to protect and preserve religious iconography damaged by insects in Romanian churches. IAEA

Posted at: November 25, 2010 12:01 am

Duration: 02:30

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: ROMANIA / NUCLEAR ART PRESERVATION 
TRT: 2:30
SOURCE: IAEA 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ROMANIAN / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: JULY 2010, BUCHAREST AND IZVOARELE, ROMANIA

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot, outside shot of church   
2. Pan right, inside shot of church with Father Ioan 
3. Close up, damaged icon with insect holes 
4. Close up, icon 
5. Close up, damaged icon with insect holes 
6. Close up, icon 
7. Close up, damaged icon with insect holes 
8. Close up, icon and flowers 
7. Med shot, Father John blessing himself before icon 
8. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Father Ioan, Parish Priest, Izvoarele: 
"Because the icons are thick objects, the injected solution did not enter deeply enough from the surface and there was no effect. That's why I had to consider a better solution." 
9. Close up, irradiation chamber water pool at IRASM Radiation Processing Centre 
10. Pan left, water pool to boxes awaiting irradiation 
11. Med shot, irradiation chamber 
12. Wide shot, storage room at IRASM
13. Close up, controls for irradiation chamber  
14. Close up, presence of source indicators  
15. Close up, irradiation chamber door opening 
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Valentin Moise, Chief Operator, IRASM Radiation Processing Centre, Bucharest:
"One of the major applications of radiation processing is radiation sterilisation and by extension with radiation we can inactivate any kind of bacteria and fungi or other biological organisms."  
17. Wide shot, Aman Museum Bucharest 
18. Close up, museum sign 
19. Med shot, conservation experts in museum 
20. Pan right, furniture items that have been treated with irradiation   
21. Tilt down, wooden object with insect damage 
22. Close up, damaged wooden object 
23. Close up, damaged wooden object 
24. SOUNDBITE (English) Rodica Antonescu, Head of Conservation, Municipal Museum, Bucharest: 
"Any other method could much more expensive and we don't have the opportunities to have all this very special equipment. Also it was much more dangerous for our health." 
25. Med shot, restorer at work in Aman museum 
26. Close up, painting 
27. Med shot, of wallpaper restoration 
28. Med shot, restoration work 
29. Wide shot, museum interior 
30. Wide shot, outside of museum 
32. Med shot, Father Ioan in church spreading incense 
33. Close up, icon 
34. Med shot, Father Ioan

STORYLINE:

Nuclear techniques are being used to protect and preserve works of art around the world.

Father Ioan peaceful world was shaken one day when he found unwanted guests in his church in Izvoarele, Romania.

Insects had invaded the church's precious icons. They were eating away at the wood and were threatening to destroy these sacred works of art.

At first the priest tried to solve the problem, using chemicals.

SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Father Ioan, Parish Priest, Izvoarele, Romania:  
"Because the icons are thick objects, the injected solution did not enter deeply enough from the surface and there was no effect. That's why I had to consider a better solution."

The solution came from an unusual source, radiation, stored in a six-metre deep water pool at a radiation processing centre in Bucharest.

When activated this radioactive source emits powerful gamma rays that can kill insects, bacteria and fungi.

SOUNDBITE (English) Valentin Moise, Chief Operator, IRASM Radiation Processing Centre, Bucharest:
"One of the major applications of radiation processing is radiation sterilisation and by extension with radiation we can inactivate any kind of bacteria and fungi or other biological organisms."

The Aman Museum in city centre Bucharest is currently undergoing renovation.

The damp conditions were a perfect breeding ground for insects and fungi which infested the building and its contents.

Such problems can be controlled using chemicals, but the museum opted for irradiation.

SOUNDBITE (English) Rodica Antonescu, Head of Conservation, Municipal Museum, Bucharest: 
"Any other method could much more expensive and we don't have the opportunities to have all this very special equipment. Also it was much more dangerous for our health."

After treatment the works of art are returned to the museum and carefully restored.

Once all the objects are contaminant-free the museum will be reopened to the public.

Eventually the treated icons were returned to the church and the insects did not come back.