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The Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College (CCS Bard) is an exhibition, education, and research center dedicated to the study of art and curatorial practices from the 1960s to the present day.

In addition to the CCS Bard Galleries and Hessel Museum of Art, the Center houses the Marieluise Hessel Collection, as well as an extensive library and curatorial archives that are accessible to the public. The Center’s two-year M.A. program in curatorial studies is specifically designed to deepen students’ understanding of the intellectual and practical tasks of curating contemporary art. Exhibitions are presented year-round in the CCS Bard Galleries and Hessel Museum of Art, providing students with the opportunity to work with world-renowned artists and curators. The exhibition program and the Hessel Collection also serve as the basis for a wide range of public programs and activities exploring art and its role in contemporary society.

The Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College opened its doors in 1992. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2012, CCS Bard presents a series of exhibitions by students, as well as a roster of international artists, working in a range of practices.

1. Raw materials made in Japan needed for Japanese handmade paper are currently facing severe endangerment. In addition to supporting the production of these raw materials, we will make efforts to preserve genuine manufacturing methods of Japanese handmade paper, or kami*1 ,and the high quality of permanence achieved through it for future generations to inherit.

2. Documents and books around the world from the 1850’s onward consist of acid paper, and are now on the verge of extinction. The abovementioned Japanese handmade paper, superior in permanence, is essential for the repair of these documents and books.

We will voluntarily provide such paper for repair and technical guidance to institutes in the order of urgency.

3. Among the conservation and preservation methods of the world, traditional Japanese mounting techniques prove to be highly useful. We will create a venue and an opportunity for the study of these techniques to foster the next generation of technicians, and begin communication overseas.

An educational institute known as Denshukan*2 will be established within the foundation to provide repair for personal possessions. Our methods will be released to the public in order to standardize high quality practices. Relevant efforts will also be made to sustain the disappearing culture of Japanese paper, cloth, and sumi*3 .

We will carry out appropriate events and endeavors to achieve the above.

It is our duty to preserve the written records of mankind’s history and legacies. We believe Japan can make significant contributions in providing aid to this cause, and will strive to make all possible efforts.

*1 Kami かみ: We would like to use the term kami （かみ）when referring to the traditionally manufactured Japanese handmade paper that the foundation deals with. It is believed that the term kami originates from the word kaba, a reference to tree bark. Kami should be distinguished from the term washi（和紙）, which first emerged as an expression to differentiate Japanese paper from the Western paper that began to enter Japan in the Meiji era.

*2 Denshukan 傳習館: The name of our educational institute Denshukan is derived from the Chinese characters 傳(Den), meaning to hand down, and習(Shu), to learn. 館(Kan) is used for a facility established for a particular cause or program.

*3 Sumi 墨 : The Sumi we refer to is the dried solid mixture of soot, obtained from burning pine with rapeseed or other natural oils, and nikawa（膠）, a binding agent derived from animal bone or skin. A liquid form of nikawa was used during ancient times, but proved to be inefficient due to its perishability. This led to a dried solid form of the mixture which becomes usable by lightly grinding it against a stone with water. It should be distinguished from sumi sold today in a ready-to-use liquid form, which contain preservatives that prevent it from perishing.