EXCISS 2025 Mural Painting Conservation is an international congress that will be held in Valencia from 20-22 February,2025. This international conference focuses on the conservation and restoration of mural paintings found in extreme conditions and, therefore, requires innovative and sustainable approaches and methodologies. Given the precarious situation of the world, exacerbated by armed conflicts and natural disasters and the impact of climate change and its consequences (including rising sea levels, floods, and fires), it’s necessary to develop preventive conservation strategies and emergency and disaster risk protocols and principles that minimise risks and safeguard this kind of heritage sustainably and efficiently.
This congress is particularly relevant, extremely actual, and highly topical. It aims to provide a forum between specialised international professionals in the conservation of mural paintings and architectural surfaces to promote the study of these issues and to share strategies, from emergency and remedial interventions to longer-term preventive measures to counteract such extreme events. In this context, it is necessary to develop new approaches and implement technological advances, from digital imaging to the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The international conference is divided into four main modules:
- Wall painting action protocols for emergencies and disasters, including risk management in armed conflicts, earthquakes, floods, and fires, using modern methodologies like AI in response to such events, with the basis for creating principles of action in extreme situations.
- Wall painting treatments and solutions for works affected by extreme events, such as fragmented or fire affected paintings, fragment classification, as well as detachment and transfer of wall paintings, and alternative approaches for reintegrating, including digital options and virtual presentations.
- Review of past inappropriate interventions on mural painting in extreme situations: showing case studies of past interventions in which it is necessary to correct previous principles that proved inappropriate, insufficient, ineffective, or even wrong.
- Preventive Conservation of wall paintings in the Face of Climate Change and Emergencies, including risk assessment of wall paintings.
As a result of the congress, summary conclusions of contributions and discussions will be assembled and published with recommendations at an international level for the conservation and restoration of mural paintings at risk of extreme events.