Analysing Art 2025
18-21 May 2025 University of Antwerp – City Campus, Convent of the Grey Sisters
The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT), with the kind support of The True Image Solution Ltd, UK, and The Institute for Diagnostic Imaging Research (IDIR), Canada, cordially invited participants to the fourth international workshop, Analysing Art: New Technologies – New Applications dedicated to the application of new technologies in the analysis of cultural heritage. This workshop was held in one of the most historic and cultural cities in Europe, Antwerp, Belgium, from 18-21 May 2025, at the University of Antwerp – City Campus, Convent of the Grey Sisters.The multi-disciplinary workshop focused on non-destructive testing for the preventive conservation of art as it relates to the sustainability of cultural heritage and brought together scientists, engineers, curators, restoration experts, conservationists and art historians. This event was a unique confluence of art and technology communities and was indicative of the high-tech trends that have been impacting cultural heritage.
Leading experts in this field attended from all over the world and prepared a stimulating and informative scientific programme including substantial networking opportunities.
| Schedule | ||
| Sunday 18 May 2025 | ||
| 18.00-20.30 | RubensHuis Garden welcome reception with drinks and canapés | |
| Monday 19 May 2025 | ||
| 09.00-09.30 | Registration, exhibition and coffee | |
| 09.30-11.15 | Presentations | |
| 11.15-11.45 | Exhibition and coffee break | |
| 11.45-13.00 | Presentations | |
| 13.00-13.45 | Lunch and exhibition | |
| 13.45-15.30 | Presentations | |
| 15.30-18.30 | Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA) tour | |
| Tuesday 20 May 2025 | ||
| 09.00-09.15 | Registration, exhibition and coffee | |
| 09.15-11.15 | Presentations | |
| 11.15-11.45 | Exhibition and coffee break | |
| 11.45-13.00 | Presentations | |
| 13.00-13.45 | Lunch and exhibition | |
| 13.45-15.15 | Presentations | |
| 16.30-18.30 | RubenHuis Museum tour with a reception of drinks and canapés | |
| 18.45-22.00 | Dinner and drinks at the Grand Café Horta and Art Nouveau Hall | |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 | ||
| 09.15-09.45 | Registration, exhibition and coffee | |
| 09.45-11.00 | Presentations | |
| 11.00-11.30 | Exhibition and coffee break | |
| 11.30-12.45 | Presentations | |
| 12.45-13.30 | Lunch and exhibition | |
| 14.30 | Diamond District tour or Cathedral of our Lady tour (subject to pre-booking and availability). | |
| Programme | ||
| Sunday 18 May 2025 | ||
| 18.00-20.30 | Welcome reception with drinks and canapés Introduction by Liene Conard, Rubenshuis | Location: Rubens' Garden, Rubenhuis, Hopland 13, 2000 Antwerp |
| Monday 19 May 2025 | ||
| 09.00-09.30 | Registration and coffee | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters, University of Antwerp – Stadscampus, Building S, Lange Sint-Annastraat 7, 2000 Antwerp |
| 09.30-15.30 | Session 1 | Chairs: Professor Dr Roman Maev, The Institute of Diagnostic Imaging Research (IDIR), University of Windsor, Canada, and David Gilbert, CEO of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) |
| 09.30-10.00 | Greetings from the City Hall, Antwerp University and Rubenshuis | Speakers to be confirmed |
| 10.00-10.45 | Fragility versus steadiness: the dynamic relationship between art and science | Cecilia Frosinini, Former Director of the Easel Painting Department, Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Florence, Italy |
| 10.45-11.15 | Exploring active infrared thermography for non-destructive analysis of paintings | Professor Dr Ir Gunther Steenackers, Head of Department of Electromechanical Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium |
| 11.15-11.45 | Coffee break and exhibition | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters |
| 11.45-12.15 | The Pop Art puzzle: giving Berlin’s Houseball sculpture a new lease of life | Professor Dr Marc Kreutzbruck, Director, Institute of Plastics Technology, University of Stuttgart, Germany |
| 12.15-13.00 | Infrared thermography, mock-ups, cultural heritage objects, -pre and -post processing: from passive to solar loading approach thanks to heat transfer mechanisms | Professor Stefano Sfarra PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, University of L'Aquila, Italy |
| 13.00-13.45 | Lunch and exhibition | Location: The Patio, Convent of the Grey Sisters |
| 13.45-14.30 | Test methods, tricks and pitfalls in dry film thickness measurements of paints, varnishes, adhesives and protective coatings on paintings, bronzes and coated objects | Joe Walker, President, DuMouchelle Gallery, Detroit, USA |
| 14.30-15.00 | Air-coupled ultrasound for crack detection in oil paintings: a non-destructive approach | Hector Calas, AOS/TPAC, Houston, Texas, USA |
| 15.00-15.30 | Exhibition and discussions | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters |
| 15.30-18.30 | Tour of the museum and opportunity to see the ongoing restoration of Peter Paul Rubens’s magnificent altarpiece Enthroned Madonna Adored by Saints (ca. 1628). Travel by tram number 1. | Location: Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) |
| Free evening | List of recommended restaurants and cafes will be prepared by the organising committee. | |
| Tuesday 20 May 2025 | ||
| 09.00-09.15 | Registration and coffee | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters, University of Antwerp – Stadscampus, Building S, Lange Sint-Annastraat 7, 2000 Antwerp |
| 09.15-15.15 | Session 2 | Chairs: Professor Dr Roman Maev, The Institute of Diagnostic Imaging Research (IDIR), University of Windsor, Canada, and David Gilbert, CEO of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) |
| 09.15-10.00 | Wood, paint, stained glass and mummies: terahertz as a versatile non-destructive tool for art conservation | Lauren Gingras, PhD, Group Lead –THz Development, Menlo Systems GmbH, Martinsried, Germany |
| 10.00-10.30 | Determining the object biographies of ancient and historic manuscripts with non-destructive methodologies | Dr Jennifer L Mass, Professor of Cultural Heritage Science Bard, Graduate Center Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture, New York, USA |
| 10.30-11.15 | Beyond the visible: unlocking art’s hidden dimensions with super-resolution technology | Dr Aryaz Baradarani, Lead R&D Scientist, Tessonics Inc, Windsor, Ontario, Canada |
| 11.15-11.45 | Coffee break and exhibition | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters |
| 11.45-12.30 | Visual arts, creative processes and diagnostics in the academies of fine arts | Costanza Barbieri, PhD, Professor, Academy of Fine Art of Rome, EAR WP2 Leader, Rome, Italy |
| 12.30-13.00 | Archaeology of the 20th century: modern art studies between archival research and digital technology opportunities. On the materials of the Wolfsoniana collection | Dr Anna Vyazemtseva, Assistant Curator, Wolfsoniana Palazzo Ducale Foundation for Culture, Genoa, Italy |
| 13.00-13.45 | Lunch and exhibition | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters |
| 13.45-15.15 | Present and future role of auction houses in the global cultural heritage. Expertise and attribution. Immediate needs of analysis and conservation | Panel Discussion Moderator: Professor Roman Maev Panelists: Joe Walker and Costanza Barbieri |
| 16.30-18.30 | Guided tour | Location: Rubenshuis, Hopland 13, 2000 Antwerp |
| 18.45-22.00 | Banquet | Location: The Grand Café Horta and Art Nouveau Hall, Hopland 2, 2000 Antwerp |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 | ||
| 09.15-12.45 | Session 3 | Chairs: Professor Dr Roman Maev, The Institute of Diagnostic Imaging Research (IDIR), University of Windsor, Canada, and David Gilbert, CEO of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) |
| 09.15-09.45 | Coffee and exhibition | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters, University of Antwerp – Stadscampus, Building S, Lange Sint-Annastraat 7, 2000 Antwerp |
| 09.45-10.30 | Non-invasive inspection for cultural heritage combining infrared/terahertz techniques and deep neural networks | Professor Dr Xavier Maldague, Electrical and Computing Engineering Department, Sciences and Engineering Faculty, University Laval, Quebec, Canada |
| 10.30-11.00 | Spectro-optical methods for characterising painting surfaces | Professor Wolfram Scharff, Project Coordinator, IfU GmbH Privates Institut für Umweltanalysen, Lichtenau, Germany |
| 11.00-11.30 | Coffee break and exhibition | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters |
| 11.30-12.00 | Solar-loading infrared thermography in cultural heritage conservation: a case study of Chinese traditional cultural relics | Professor Hai Zhang, Centre for Composite Materials and Structures (CCMS), Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China |
| 12.00-12.30 | High resolution ultrasound imaging for grain structure fingerprinting using surface adaptive technique | Gavin Dao, AOS/TPAC, Houston, Texas, USA |
| 12.30-12.45 | Closing ceremony | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters |
| 12.45-13.30 | Lunch | Location: Convent of the Grey Sisters |
| 14.30 | Optional tours | Diamond Quarter, Antwerp, or Cathedral of Our Lady, Groenplaats 21, 2000 Antwerp. Delegates must sign-up for their choice. |
A range of sponsorship packages were available offering companies and organisations the opportunity to market their goods and services to this important and growing market.
Sponsorship support demonstrates care and commitment to art and cultural heritage as well as introduces new products to a larger audience – a unique opportunity for businesses to enhance their brand, raise their profile, share their expertise and build relationships.
| Exhibitors | ||
| Company | Website | |
| TPAC NDT UK Ltd |  Logo.jpg) www.thephasedarraycompany.com | |
Antwerp is a city rich in history and culture, famous for its port, one of the largest in Europe. With its Gothic architecture, world-renowned museums and Diamond District, Antwerp is a fascinating destination where the past and present meet harmoniously.
For further information, contact:
Events and Awards Department, The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing,
Midsummer House, Riverside Way, Bedford Road, Northampton NN1 5NX, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)1604 438300; Email: conf@bindt.org
