The Italian pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will be part of a “renaissance” legacy project to preserve archaeological artefacts and art recovered from war zones.
The new centre will be set up after the world’s fair ends in March next year, Italian government officials and academics said on Sunday.
The project’s home will be the Italian pavilion, which contains a 3D life-size replica of Michelangelo’s marble statue of David.
University of Florence
The education programme will be led by a team involved in the digital reproduction of the 16th century sculpture. It will include online sessions and in-person workshops about efforts to preserve heritage in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
“The David is our link between the past and the future. We want to handle fragile art forms that are at risk in conflict areas. It is our duty to preserve our cultural heritage and protect it,” said Grazia Tucci, of the University of Florence’s department of civil and environmental engineering.
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Expo 2020 Dubai Day 10 highlights - in pictures
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A mascot outside the Australia pavilion on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Expo visitors from China, Eva Zhang, 21 and Ting Wei,18. Victor Besa / The National -
Portugese tourist take a break for a picture at the Expo 2020 Dubai Jubilee Park area. Victor Besa / The National -
Expo visitors. Victor Besa / The National -
Visitors enjoy the central experience place at the Portugal Pavilion. Victor Besa / The National -
A visitor takes a picture of a troll outside the Danish pavilion on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Sonic Planetarium – Dripping Lunar Sextet by artist Haegue Yang, Public Art Programme, Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai -
The Plinth by artist Shaikha Al Mazrou, Public Art Programme. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai -
The interior of Eswatini Pavilion. Photo: Expo 2020 -
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino conducted by Maestro Zubin Mehta at Jubilee Stage. Photo: Expo 2020 -
Azerbaijan Slow Food Event. Photo: Expo 2020 -
Wind Sculpture III (one in a series of nine) by artist Yinka Shonibare, Public Art Programme. Photo: Expo 2020 -
Visitors to the Oman pavilion on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Staff wave flags outside the Finland pavilion on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Visitors look at a statue outside the Serbia pavilion on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Visitors to the Oman pavilion take pictures of the frankincense tree on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Visitors decide where to go on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Visitors to the Oman pavilion learn about water management on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor to the Turkmenistan pavilion takes pictures on the 10th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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“Through top-notch technology and digitisation we can take a better look at art, artefacts, paintings and archaeological findings.
“Earthquakes, floods, climate change and conflict can destroy cultural heritage. The idea is that we have to prevent this from happening and not go there at the end of the conflict when they are already destroyed.”
The sessions will be for archaeologists, architects, engineers and historians.
Knowledge gained from months of working with teams on the David statue with digital scans, 3D printing and ageing the replica with marble powder will be passed on at the workshops.
“We want this to be a legacy of the pavilion. The idea is to train the trainers,” she said.
“When we transfer this approach to professionals from this area, they can do something similar for the cultural heritage here.”
During a presentation at the Italian pavilion, Dr Tucci showed photographs of the ancient Buddha sandstone carvings, in Afghanistan’s Bamiyan valley, which the Taliban destroyed in 2001.
She said digital copies of World Heritage Sites such as the giant Bamiyan Buddha statues have already been made by several researchers in other parts of the world.
The specific artefacts to be handled for restoration at the Expo site have not yet been finalised.
“The Bamiyan Buddha destruction was a pity for humanity,” she said.
“We need to create data, archives to study and preserve heritage so, just in case they are destroyed, we can use this to reconstruct it digitally.”
Cecilie Hollberg, director of the Academy Gallery in Florence, said such conservation projects conveyed a much-needed message of hope.
“The world needs strength after the pandemic we all have had to fight, and David is a symbol of the renaissance,” she said in a video message taped in front of the original sculpture in Italy.
“This is a symbol of rebirth for many future projects. Some are already under way and others will start soon.”
The Italian pavilion is in the Sustainability district of Expo 2020 Dubai. The statue of David is a centrepiece of the structure, which features kilometres of recycled ropes in its façade.
