Contemporary conservation practices increasingly emphasize the balance between preserving visual coherence and maintaining material authenticity. The growing use of substitute materials, such as resins and composites, offers practical advantages but also raises questions about how authenticity and value are perceived by different audiences. This conceptual study explores how restoration materials influence subjective evaluations of heritage authenticity, comparing responses between two roles: public viewers and hypothetical owners. The research employs a within-subjects questionnaire design with approximately 30 participants. Respondents will assess a series of image-based restoration cases that contrast original-material reconstructions with resin-based alternatives. Each participant will complete evaluations twice—first as a viewer and again as an owner—providing comparative insights into how perception shifts between roles. Four evaluative dimensions will be examined: authenticity perception, visual acceptance, perceived material value, and emotional resonance. The anticipated findings aim to clarify how stakeholder identity shapes authenticity judgments and to identify perceptual gaps that emerge from material substitution. By emphasizing the communicative aspect of conservation, this project seeks to improve understanding between restorers, clients, and audiences. The poster will present the conceptual framework and survey methodology prior to empirical analysis, contributing to ongoing debates on authenticity, stakeholder engagement, and material ethics in heritage conservation.

Authors:
Jiang Wu-Chao, Cheng Shiu University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
JIANG,WU-CHAO currently a technician at the National Cheng Hsiu University of Science and Technology in Taiwan, specializes in the field of cultural relics restoration, especially in the areas of artifacts, metals, ceramics, and stone, with a focus

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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