Restoration site inspections go virtual: video calls replace on-site visits

Restorers Silvia Conti and Fiona Colucci, a superintendent official, tested video calls as a substitute for physical inspections of restoration sites under legal protection in Italy. The experiment aimed to streamline bureaucratic procedures that often delay or halt works. Colucci conducted a 'video-inspection' via chat, allowing real-time viewing of details and decision-making on technical issues, such as whether to preserve or remove non-artistic historical traces. Colucci noted that while video cannot replace the sensory experience of a site—smells, dust, surface textures, spatial perception—it enables immediate responses to urgent needs and saves travel time, especially given that superintendencies are understaffed and officials must use public transport. The approach emerged from lockdown necessities but could become a regular practice, though it requires trust in the person guiding the virtual tour and is best suited for simple decisions. Restorers see potential for more collaborative conservation, but risks include possible misuse by those seeking to bypass regulations. The article was published on Artribune in July 2020.