Italian Laser Technology Donated to Getty Museum in Memory of Khaled Asaad

Two Italian companies, El.En Group's Light for Art division and Quanta System, have donated a laser cleaning device to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. The Thunder Compact laser, originally developed for medical use, can remove degradation layers with micron precision by exploiting differential light absorption between dark dirt and lighter substrate. The donation honors Syrian archaeologist Khaled Asaad, who was captured by ISIS in May 2015, tortured, and executed in front of the Palmyra Museum. His body was hung from a column. The initiative responds to a call by Italian Minister Dario Franceschini for international solidarity after Asaad's murder. Paolo Salvadeo, CEO of El.En Group, stated that Getty director and conservation head Susanne Gänsicke found the gesture deeply moving and symbolic. The laser will aid conservation of the museum's ancient art collection.