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Bringing Back Rothko's Harvard Murals with Light | Narayan Khandekar | TEDxBeaconStreet

4,740 views · Published 3 March 2015 · 11:53 · Indexed 22 September 2026

Channel: TEDx Talks · 2015 · Nonprofits & Activism

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Mark Rothko's Harvard Murals cannot be restored by conventional means. The team set upon a method whereby the right color and intensity of light can be shone in exactly the right location across two million pixels for each of the five murals to restore their appearance without physically intervening with the painting. This completely reversible treatment has not previously been used on paintings for public display. This talk will explain the history of the murals and the development of the conservation treatment culminating in an exhibition at the Harvard Art Museums. 

Narayan Khandekar is the senior conservation scientist at the Harvard Art Museums. His main foci are understanding the materials and techniques of artists, and providing a career path for scientists into art galleries. 

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

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