The Fragile Lives of Objects – A Meeting with Noga Shusterman

Behind every item displayed at Yad Vashem are complex decisions concerning preservation, treatment, and public access.

Noga Shusterman, Director of the Conservation Laboratories at Yad Vashem, will speak about the tension between the desire to display objects to the public and the need to ensure their survival for future generations.

The exhibition tour will focus on items that present unique conservation challenges.

Moderator: Dr. Yael Peleg, Yad Vashem

Noga Shusterman — Director of the Conservation Laboratories, Yad Vashem

Senior conservator specializing in the conservation and study of works of art and gilded objects.

Her professional work combines material and scientific understanding with in-depth knowledge of traditional techniques, with the aim of ensuring the integrity and longevity of artistic and historical objects.

For the past six years, she has served as Director of the Conservation Laboratories at Yad Vashem.

As part of her role, she leads the team responsible for the conservation, stabilization, and rescue of objects, archival items, and works of art from the Holocaust period in exhibitions and storage facilities.

Managing the conservation laboratories at a nationally significant institution such as Yad Vashem, which is responsible for collections of complex material and emotional nature, requires a combination of managing a team of conservators specializing in various areas of conservation, applying advanced conservation methodologies, and maintaining fidelity to the original, authenticity, and historical context.