Uploaded May 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Whether carefully reinforcing the cracks in an ancient handscroll or remounting the portrait of an imperial ancestor, traditional Chinese painting restorers have cared for Chinese artworks in United States museums for over thirty years. Now focused on passing along their knowledge and skills, these dedicated artisans are training the next generation of art conservators to take on these responsibilities. Through in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of conservation studios in United States museums, In Our Hands captures the generational, cultural, and educational shift taking place in the field of Chinese painting conservation. Produced by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art under the direction of Eros Zhao for Templux Films, this unprecedented documentary reveals the personal stories of nine conservators dedicated to preserving their traditional craft while advancing the field, an undertaking that is vital to the future of Chinese cultural heritage in the West. (Dir.: Eros Zhao, United States, 2022, 50 min., English and Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles)
Whether carefully reinforcing the cracks in an ancient handscroll or remounting the portrait of an imperial ancestor, traditional Chinese painting restorers have cared for Chinese artworks in United States museums for over thirty years. Now focused on passing along their knowledge and skills, these dedicated artisans are training the next generation of art conservators to take on these responsibilities. Through in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of conservation studios in United States museums, In Our Hands captures the generational, cultural, and educational shift taking place in the field of Chinese painting conservation. Produced by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art under the direction of Eros Zhao for Templux Films, this unprecedented documentary reveals the personal stories of nine conservators dedicated to preserving their traditional craft while advancing the field, an undertaking that is vital to the future of Chinese cultural heritage in the West. (Dir.: Eros Zhao, United States, 2022, 50 min., English and Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles)
