Beatrice Campanella

The textile surgeon

• Beatrice restores ancient textile artworks
• She often compares her work to surgery
• Her favourite material to work with is silk, soft but strong

As a restoration technician specialised in textile and tapestry, Beatrice Campanella approaches her profession as a surgeon: she treats ancient textile creations to 'heal' their wounds and repair the ravages of time. First, she makes a diagnosis by analysing the material with a digital microscope, in order to find out exactly what the textile fibre is and ascertain the weaving technique used by the original weaver. Then, she operates on the item using her hands, with surgical accuracy. “The preliminary analysis is the most challenging part, but also the most fascinating to me,” Beatrice says. “I literally have the chance to touch history with my hands, detecting the handiwork of craftspeople who lived centuries ago, and getting a close-up of details that you do not normally see, when you go and visit a museum.”

Interview

©Andrea Mazza

©Andrea Mazza

How did you begin you career as a textile restorer?

I was studying Cultural Heritage Conservation at university, when I had the chance to do an internship in a textile restoration atelier. It was a revelation to me. Thus, I enrolled in Botticino School of Restoration, in Brescia, and took a three-year course.

Do you have a favourite material to work with?

Each textile fibre has its own personality. They are all interesting, but the one I love the most is silk. It seems fragile because it is soft and lightweight, but it is actually very strong and resistant. It is versatile, too. I like it when it is paired with metals.

Is there a restoration piece that you especially remember?

The very first one of my career. I was still a student at Botticino and my class took part in a huge project to restore an ancient city flag. We were working with silk and we had to dye it. In my memory, our effort was no less than epic!

Is your profession a creative one?

Strictly speaking, creativity is not the restorer’s department. My role consists of preserving what is already there, without adding anything new. Like a translator, I am always a step behind the author. But creativity means also deciding how to proceed to obtain the best result. In this, what I do is extremely creative.

Beatrice Campanella is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2012

Where