Digital Approaches for Public Art Collection Between Conservation and Public Outreach

Digital tools for artworks can offer new opportunities and design new approaches for conservation and public outreach.  This paper presents the experience carried out by the School of Conservation and Restoration of the University of Urbino to preserve a public collection of wooden artistic models assembled by Umberto Mastroianni and used as a project of original bronze and steel sculptures. The digital documentation supported the maintenance protocol and helped design the restoration work. Moreover, thanks to cutting-edge technologies, a virtual exhibition was created, testing an AR application that allows the public to better appreciate the results of the interventions. Digital storytelling about artistic meaning connected the models to original sculptures placed in various Italian landscapes, offering the public an artistic journey into Urbino’s architecture.