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Bilbao Conference: Abstracts |
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| Publications > Bilbao | ||
Modern Art, New Museums
Review of the event by Nicola Hall
GLASGOW'S BURRELL COLLECTION: EXPERIENCES FROM TWENTY YEARS OF A NEW MUSEUM
Norman H. Tennent
In 1983, the purpose-built museum to house the Burrell Collection was opened to the public. The collection, which comprises more than 8000 items, had been given to the City of Glasgow by Sir William Burrell, a wealthy shipping magnate. Almost 30 years elapsed before the conditions of the gift, including the need to provide a pollution-free environment for display of mediaeval tapestries and carpets, could be met. This paper focuses on some of the issues concerning the museum environment, including atmospheric pollution, which affected decision-making prior to construction of the museum, and lessons which have been learned in running the museum since its opening. Successes and failures are reviewed 20 years on, in particular the measures necessary to deal with high light levels in a predominantly glass building with many day-lit galleries. A notably successful feature of the building is the ability of the surrounding woodland to reduce light levels in the gallery adjacent to the northern wall of the museum, which is constructed predominantly of glass. However, the UV-screening capacity of film applied to the south-facing glazing has been lost after two decades. Although methods adopted to incorporate mediaeval stonework into the structure of the new building have performed well, the surface disaggregation of a vulnerable limestone arch remains a problem.
LAUNCHING A NEW MUSEUM: UPWARD DISPLACEMENT AIR-CONDITIONING AND COMPUTER-CONTROLLED DAYLIGHT ILLUMINATION
Andreas Burmester, Marcus Herdin, Albert Meyer and Robert Ottitsch
This contribution describes a period of 18 months around the recent opening of the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich (Germany). As so often hppens, building work was delayed but the date for the opening ceremony was fixed. While thousands of highly sensitive objects were being moved onto the site, the building still presented many technical defects. This required conservators and conservation scientists to control and ensure the functionality of the building within the framework of preventive conservation. Special attention was given to the upward displacement air-conditioning in the first-floor galleries and their computer-controlled daylight illumination system. The article assesses both systems in terms of functionality and use in preservation. In situ data are compared with experimental data from a test room, with simulations, and with data from conventional air-conditioned and artificially lit galleries in the same building. Results of dust, pollution and noise measurements are included.
INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM: CONSERVATION INPUT FOR FOUR TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY ARTS BUILDINGS
Thomas Dixon
The Conservation Department of the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, contributed to four new building projects: an off-site long-term storage facility with temporary conservation facilities; a temporary display for approximately three years in a newly renovated nineteenth-century building; a new building with 21 galleries devoted exclusively to Australian art; and the complete renovation of a 1967 building to turn it into a 30-gallery building dedicated to international art. Preventive conservation principles were applied to all four buildings and the author presents a synopsis of his experience of these projects.
THE MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND AND CONSERVATION ISSUES OF COMMISSIONED ART
Jim Tate, David Clarke, Helen Spencer and Belén Cobo del Arco
The Museum of Scotland is a new building in Edinburgh which opened in November 1998 to present the history of Scotland from its geological beginnings to the present day. This paper considers conservation issues within three themes: the building itself as iconic modern architecture and its effect on the exhibition displays and their development; modern art which was commissioned to enhance the displays in specific ways; and the use of modern sculpture for the actual display of archaeological artifacts.
ANSELM KIEFER AT THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO: TOWARDS A NEW METHODOLOGY FOR THE PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION OF CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS
Silvia Lindner, Ana Vitoria and Laura Alba
The versatile nature, shape and scale of the galleries and exhibition spaces at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao have led to a redefinition of museological and museographic models, affecting spheres of action such as management systems, preventive conservation and acquisitions policies. The incorporation into the permanent collection of 11 works by the German artist Anselm Kiefer posed a number of challenges concerning their storage, crating, handling, transport, display and conservation. The sheer range of problems generated by these works required an integrated study prior to devising a general action plan. This paper discusses the analysis undertaken in the study, the search for solutions, and the measures taken to ensure proper conservation and exhibition of these works.
HANDLING WHITE CUBE
Tom Hale
The brave and 'difficult' three-dimensional artworks at White Cube, a gallery of contemporary art in London, require careful maintenance in accordance with the intention of the artist, to preserve their function of communicating vital ideas. Some traditional approaches and methods of preservation are not appropriate in this context. How can artworks which are complex 'machines' be packed, transported, installed and maintained? How can the artist's intention and therefore the communication of the meaning of a piece be preserved for future generations? This paper introduces White Cube's methods and archive through examination of the works of four White Cube artists: Antony Gormley, Marc Quinn, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.
MEANING MATTERS: COLLABORATING WITH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
Laura Davies & Jackie Heuman
Conservators of modern art often work closely with contemporary artists, not only during the preservation of their work but increasingly during the creative process itself. This paper characterizes some of these interactions by looking at three case studies of sculptures and installations at Tate, London. Respect for the artist's intent and the integrity of the work imposes the need for certain interventions which would not normally be considered accepted practice when treating a work of art. Works by Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread and Anya Gallacio are discussed to reflect a range of collaborative approaches within the conventional objective of conserving artworks while respecting the artist's intention. The case studies illustrate a shift in perception, from the importance of the material of an artwork towards an emphasis on the artist's meaning or context.
TEXTILE OR ART? THE CONSERVATION, DISPLAY AND STORAGE OF MODERN TEXTILE ART
Ann French
This paper aims to introduce some of the issues involved in the collection, display and storage of modern or contemporary 'textile art'. The term is controversial and a source of discussion and debate, but for the purposes of this paper it should be interpreted as describing work in which the content and ideas are seen by the artist to be as important as the process. In most cases, the choice of the medium of textile is integral to the work and its conceptual base. The result is a work of art to be exhibited as such, and not as a piece of applied art that may have had or was intended to have a function. The collections of the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, and a recent loan exhibition of contemporary European textile art, 'Flexible 4: Identities', are used to illustrate the issues.
REWORKING AN INTERIOR SKETCHBOOK: THE CONSERVATION AND DISPLAY OF 'RØD OG BLÅ' ANAMORPHOSIS
Lorraine Maule, Marianne Torp & Troels Filtenborg
The second hanging of the permanent collection of contemporary art in the new extension to Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, was fuelled by the desire to utilize the characteristics of the architectural structure, such as the very high ceilings. This was achieved by conscious employment of the entire, often previously unused, wall surfaces as well as displaying works at various unconventional heights. Plans for the re-hang coincided with the conservation treatment of more than 30 fragile works from the late 1970s by the influential Danish artist Albert Mertz (1920-90). These works, like many others in the collection, challenge traditionally held ideas of artwork, including conventional display. Executed in modern synthetic paints, the supports of the rød og blå (red and blue) Anamorphosis consisted of various sizes and thicknesses of poster card, card and cardboard. The conservation policy that was devised, which involved liaising with curators and with the artist' s widow, emphasized safe handling, storage and, in particular, display of the works, bearing in mind that the artist had tended to use his wall space as a large, re-workable 'sketchbook'. Lamination to thin Plexiglas and attachment to specially prepared walls using magnetic strips caused minimum interference in the integrity of the works and employed display principles faithful to those of Mertz himself.
CONSERVING JUNK AND MOVEMENT: MACHINES BY JEAN TINGUELY
Reinhard Bek
That great kinetic artist Tinguely and the museum that bears his name are the subject of this paper, which is devoted to the work involved in conserving these kinetic installations. The basis of Tinguely's formal means of expression was movement. Starting from actual pictorial images that were set in motion, he explored movement in every possible form. An additional leitmotiv, and one typical of representational avant-garde art in the 1960s, was his playful use of the garbage engendered by the affluent post-war society, which he integrated into his installations. His creaking, rattling machines, amateurishly assembled and producing nothing, were the antithesis of contemporary ideas about art and the world. The central theme of this paper is the maintenance of the Tinguely Museum's collection and the interrelated factors in the most authentic possible conservation of Tinguely's work. Those factors begin with the original creative production of machine installations in his workshop, and end with the development of a strategy for conserving them in the museum especially designed and fitted out for the purpose.
THE MANAGEMENT OF DISPLAY EQUIPMENT IN TIME-BASED MEDIA INSTALLATIONS
Pip Laurenson
Time-based media installations are works of art that incorporate audio, film, video, 35 mm slides or computer-based elements. This paper aims to develop a practical policy for the care and management of the display equipment that forms part of these works and explores how to identify time-based media installations most at risk from equipment obsolescence. Several questions underlie this analysis. How does the conservator balance the ideas of the artist and of the museum about what it is important to preserve for the future? What does a conservator do when faced with the total loss of a significant component? How can conservation training and attendant concepts of integrity and authenticity contribute to the development of a good response or decision?
READYMADE - MADE READY: THE TREATMENT OF MARCEL DUCHAMP'S WHY NOT SNEEZE ROSE SÉLAVY?
Roger Griffith & Kate Moomaw
During the move of New York's Museum of Modern Art to temporary facilities in 2002, conservators examined the museum's 1964 copy of Marcel Duchamp's readymade, Why Not Sneeze Rose Sélavy?. They discovered several conservation problems, including missing components, paint losses and, most surprisingly, the almost complete fading of Duchamp's inscription. The signature is of great importance to the work, both historically and conceptually, and its loss and the other damages needed to be addressed. After examining the history and significance of the work, this paper describes its treatment, in which education of the public, rather than physical intervention, functions to restore the signature. In explaining the rationale of the treatment, Duchamp's views on the role of the spectator in artistic production come into consideration. Finally, the paper discusses how the condition and treatment of Why Not Sneeze...? illuminate the evolving role of conservation in the present-day museum.
CONSERVATION OF A WORK BY SOTO: TREATMENT OF IRON CORROSION ON PAINT
Hubertus A. Ankersmit, Rebecca Timmermans & Sandra Weerdenburg
The work presented in this paper describes the research for the conservation of Espace Virtuels: Jaune et Blanc by J.R. Soto. Prior to conservation, Soto's studio was visited to investigate the meaning of the object and the artist's views on the condition of the work. It was decided to focus on a treatment that would leave the historic paint intact. Aged painted iron plates were chemically treated with different chelating reagents such as ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA), diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (DTPA), diammonium citrate (DAC), triammonium citrate (TAC) and phytic acid (PA). It was found that extracting ions from the binding media produced considerable paint disruption. However, blocking an excess of iron ions inside the polymer by phytate did not disrupt the paint, and the transformation of the brown spots into a white iron-phytate complex makes them less visible in the white and yellow paint matrix.
THE CONSERVATION OF FOUR MONUMENTAL SHUTTLECOCKS
Paul L. Benson
Shuttlecocks by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen is a four-part sculpture commissioned for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in 1994. These monumental sculptures, measuring 5.5 metres in height, are arranged in the museum's Kansas City Sculpture Park in various poses to represent a game of badminton in progress; the museum building represents the badminton net. The sculptures have a hollow aluminum ball and quills, resin-impregnated, honeycomb kraft-paper and fiber-reinforced plastic fiberglass covered feathers, and fiber-reinforced plastic-covered balsawood bands, all painted with an epoxy primer and polyurethane-based paint. These dissimilar materials react independently during extremes of weather over the course of the seasons, creating various maintenance challenges. While the structural integrity of the Shuttlecocks has not been affected, maintaining their visual appearance has led to the development of some interesting and ethically diverse solutions.
THE MALADIES OF MILL-PRODUCED METAL IN MODERN ART
Eleonora E. Nagy
The fragile surfaces of uncoated, polished, modern metal sculptures have not been properly considered by conservators. Besides fingerprints, corrosion and tarnishing, an additional array of unusual and disfiguring marks appears on the surfaces of sculptures made of copper alloys, stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum and other non-ferrous metal alloys. Although this phenomenon has often been linked to packing materials in contact with the sculptures, this paper argues that the origin of these disfiguring patterns should also be looked for in the industrial processing of the metals, and more specifically in the lubricants, oils, waxes and silicones applied during production. The author hypothesizes that an extremely thin, unevenly applied coat of various compounds exists on these mill-produced and fabricated surfaces. This coating, initially invisible, is a major cause of the disfiguring patterns which, with time, render many Minimalist and contemporary sculptures unexhibitable. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of a subject that has been overlooked in the care of modern sculpture: the surface vulnerability and continuing deterioration of contemporary metal sculpture.
THE CONSERVATION OF ARP'S BRONZES: PRESERVING THE SCULPTURE'S HISTORY OR THE ARTIST'S INTENT?
Martha C. Singer and Valerie Fletcher
The appearance of Jean Arp's bronze and brass cast sculptures varies. Some have no chemical patina: the untreated metal surface is reflective to varying degrees. Other casts have a brown chemical patination. Moreover, different casts of the same sculpture may exist with different finishes. What is the origin of these variations? Were they intended by the artist? These questions, hitherto unanswered, directly affect decisions on how to conserve these artworks. This paper summarizes research into the factors that determined the appearance of Arp's bronzes. By reconstructing the artist's working methods and examining many extant surfaces, it is concluded that only some of them currently present the artist's intent. A number of them result from the aesthetic tastes of certain art dealers and collectors and, to a lesser extent, lack of information during previous restorations. Because these factors are integral to the history of the artworks, the findings present difficult choices for their care and maintenance.
THE WORKS OF JOHN DEANDREA: AN EVOLUTION OF TECHNIQUES, MATERIALS AND STABILITY
Jessica Fletcher, Kristine Jeffcoat, Carl Patterson & Sharon Blank
John DeAndrea is known for producing life sculptures with a startling degree of realism. His choice of materials evolved from wax, to fiberglass, to the use of polyvinyl which makes up the major body of his work, and finally to bronze. DeAndrea's innovative use of plastics increased his success in capturing the illusion of life, and allowed him to refine his techniques. After realizing that plastics deteriorated severely on aging, he chose to reconsider his techniques and materials to gain more structural stability. DeAndrea now works almost exclusively in bronze. This paper traces the evolution of the techniques, materials and stability of John DeAndrea's sculptures. The artist's vision for the care and conservation of his work will be presented, using the Denver Art Museum's Clothed Artist and Model as a case study.
OPERATION PANAMARENKO
Claartje van Haaften
The conservation treatment of two of Panamarenko's sculptures from 1974, Continental Aeroplane and the rubber racing car Polistes in the collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum, is discussed. Prior to treatment, neither of the large-scale artworks could be exhibited. Their large physical size, their frail state and the artist's unusual use of materials made the decision-making process a challenging one. Furthermore, the initial inaccessibility of the works inhibited a broad overview of their current state. This paper describes the procedures that were undertaken and which subsequently led to the actual conservation decisions. A meeting of the artist, his former collector, the owner and the conservator was arranged and information regarding the creation and the history of Continental Aeroplane and Polistes was gathered. These aspects, coupled with the availability of a large space in the exhibition premises, enabled a unique project to be carried out in public.
THE AXA ART CONSERVATION PROJECT IN COOPERATION WITH THE VITRA DESIGN MUSEUM : RESEARCH INTO GLASSFIBRE-REINFORCED POLYESTER
Kathrin Kessler, Thea van Oosten and Henk van Keulen
This paper introduces the examination and analytical research of one of the so-called 'Panton chairs' designed by Verner Panton. This is one of the early prototypes of the Panton chair from 1967-68, made from glassfibre-reinforced polyester. The research is part of the AXA Art Conservation Project in Cooperation with the Vitra Design Museum. The paper describes briefly the design world of the 1950s and 1960s; it traces the technical development and production of the Panton chair from its beginnings until the present day, and ends with a discussion of the conservation of this early prototype. The inherent material properties of polyester, analysis of the polyester used in the Panton chair, and comparison of this chair with seven other Panton chairs made of glassfibre-reinforced polyester, will explain the reasons for the condition of the Panton chair today.
MODERN PLASTICS: DO THEY SUFFER FROM THE COLD?
Yvonne Shashoua
It has been proposed that the best storage environment for materials in museum collections is between +10 and -20ºC. The basis for this assertion is that a 10ºC reduction in temperature halves the rate of chemical reactions and many modern materials are short-lived. In practice, few museums apply cold storage to their collections, with the exception of photographic archives, so there is limited experience of its effectiveness in preservation. Plastics are formulated by combining polymers, property modifiers and colours. Each material has its own thermal response. On cooling, polymer crystallinity increases, resulting in a reduced compatibility of low molecular weight components. This paper discusses the influence of reducing the storage temperature on the physical properties of plastics, based on both theory and experimental findings. Such changes influence the physical stability of plastics. The extent of degradation may be minimized by controlling the rate of cooling of plastics, so that they shrink gradually, thus reducing the tensile stress on neighbouring materials. The rate of cooling of plastics materials also has a significant influence on their physical stability.
WEIGHING THE OPTIONS: ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF PAUL THEK'S FISHMAN AS A VEHICLE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
Tatiana Ausema, Susan Lake and Walter Hopwood
As the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington DC celebrates its thirtieth year, it has inaugurated a museum-wide project designed to re-present the depth and range of the permanent collection. Included in this project is an installation devoted to the ethical and practical considerations that conservators must bear in mind in preserving modern and contemporary works of art. The installation features Fishman (1968), a life-size cast in latex by the artist Paul Thek, that has begun to degrade rapidly. Fishman was chosen as the centerpiece of the exhibition because it embodies many of the concerns conservators face in the treatment of modern and contemporary art: inherent vice, limited treatment options, evaluation of the artist's intent, technical examination, and maintaining a balance between the added value of age and the original aesthetic. This paper discusses the technical and art historical analysis of Fishman to determine materials, construction, degradation, and possible restoration techniques.
THE DEGRADATION OF POLYESTER POLYURETHANE: PRELIMINARY STUDY OF 1960s FOAM-LAMINATED DRESSES
Doon Lovett & Dinah Eastop
Four 1960s dresses that form part of the costume collection at the Museum of London (UK) are made from a laminated fabric, which consists of a layer of foam sandwiched between two knitted fabrics. As the foam deteriorates, it breaks up into small particles that escape through the knitted fabric as dust. The foam was identified as one of two types of polyurethane (PUR): polyester polyurethane or PUR(ES). The foam dust was found to be acidic and accelerated corrosion tests confirmed volatile organic acids as end-products of PUR(ES) foam breakdown. Accelerated aging tests, performed on samples of new PUR(ES) in a variety of environmental conditions, suggest that hydrolysis rather than oxidation is the dominant mechanism for deterioration and that the rate is slowed at low relative humidity. The authors suggest that objects containing PUR(ES) should be stored at low relative humidity and away from acid-sensitive items, and emphasize the importance of correct identification of this synthetic material in museum collections.
LIVING ARTIST, LIVING ARTWORK? THE PROBLEM OF FADED COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE WORK OF GER VAN ELK
Sanneke Stigter
Current conservation ethics, based on the preservation of authentic material, are of little importance to an artist like Ger van Elk, to whom the conceptual message is more important than its material realization. This is illustrated by a recent conservation project in which the artist was involved. Ethical questions are raised, and judged against the background of an art-historical survey of the meaning of the artist's work in relation to the materials and techniques used. When preventive conservation fails and the museum seeks a solution in cooperation with the artist, the end result might be an authorized copy but what is left of the artistic value? Since photographic materials have their own characteristics and often show the effects of time, an alternative form of conservation treatment is proposed with respect to the original material. Coloured light is used as a 'retouching medium' to enhance a severely discoloured photograph which forms part of Roquebrune, a sculpture by Ger Van Elk from 1979.
THE BIG PICTURE: CONSERVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM FOR CONTEMPORARY COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS
Lee Ann Daffner & Christopher McGlinchey
Preservation of chromogenic color photographs at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, is currently focused on three areas: establishing protocols for exhibition, handling and storage; initiating a long-term examination of process stability of face-mounted chromogenic photographs; and developing a conservation-quality adhesive for polyethene-clad photographs, generally called resin-coated prints.
MOUNTING SUBSTRATES FOR CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHS
Sylvie Pénichon
Mounting substrates for contemporary oversized photographs, including wood boards, foam boards, plastic boards, aluminum, aluminum composite materials and honeycomb panels, are described. Manufacturing processes, physical characteristics and aging properties are discussed. A comparative table shows the characteristics of some of the materials described.
CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS: PRESERVATION DIALOGUES BETWEEN ARTISTS AND FINE ART PUBLISHERS
Kristi Dahm & Margo McFarland
In recent decades a trend has emerged in the US whereby contemporary artists collaborate with fine art publishers to create multiple editions of works. While the conservation literature often discusses the individual act of making art and the ramifications of artistic intent, collaborative ventures have been largely overlooked. With a focus on the contemporary production of art on paper, numerous issues related to preservation and conservation in the context of creative collaboration and commercial enterprise emerge. Findings presented here derive from on-site interviews with master printers, papermakers, curators and publishers at seven US publishing houses: Universal Limited Art Editions, Tamarind Institute, Gemini GEL (Graphic Editions Limited), Landfall Press, Dieu Donné Papermill, Tandem Press and Two Palms Press.
CREATING AN ILLUSION: THE COMPLEXITIES OF CONSERVING WORKING DRAWINGS BY BRIDGET RILEY
Sophia Fairclough & Caroline Harrison
Bridget Riley is one of the forerunners of contemporary art. Her work embodies visual illusion which is accentuated with variation of tone and colour. This paper presents a case study of the conservation treatments and the ethical considerations involved in the preparation of a collection of working drawings for a retrospective of the artist's work at Tate Britain. Most of the drawings for the exhibition dated from the early 1960s and 1970s. Despite careful framing and storage in most cases, the works had suffered through the passage of time and the deterioration of materials. A working drawing, by definition, shows the development and alterations in the artist's ideas as they progress towards a completed work. However, in this case, Bridget Riley's perfectionist approach demanded that imperfections distracting from the visual impact of the works should be removed, whilst preserving elements that indicated the spontaneity and thought process of their development. As a result, close collaboration with the artist and continual reappraisal of the treatment were necessary, as well as consideration of the requirements for the exhibition.
KALEIDOSCOPIC EXUBERANCE AND COLOUR ASCETICISM: EDELFELT'S PORTRAIT OF ACKTÉ
Tuulikki Kilpinen & Marina Catani
This paper focuses on a painting of the Finnish singer Aino Ackté. This gifted young beauty inspired Albert Edelfelt to make a series of portraits in 1900-1905. The singer and the painter, who was curator of the Finnish pavilion at the Paris World's Fair in 1900, spread cultural propaganda and sought support for Finland's autonomy which was severely threatened by oppressive Russian action. This paper, with its interdisciplinary approach involving a conservator and an art historian, aims to show how technical art history reveals Edelfelt's shift to colour asceticism, a term linking artists such as Velázquez, Manet and Whistler. By studying his writings and letters referring to fin-de-siècle modernism and political history, and by relating them to an analysis of his painting techniques and materials, Edelfelt can be connected to a new interpretation of the map of Symbolism.
LES DEMOISELLES D'AVIGNON : CORE OF PICASSO'S LABORATORY
Michael Duffy
If there is an artist most closely identified with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York it is Pablo Picasso. His 1907 canvas Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was a turning point in his career and, according to Andre Breton, 'the core of Picasso's laboratory'. MoMA acquired this icon of modern art in 1939 and since then Les Demoiselles has been the subject of several publications but no comprehensive technical examination. The last major conservation treatment was in the early 1960s. This paper focuses on the provenance of Les Demoiselles, in relation to the treatment history of the painting, and includes information from a technical analysis. It concludes with a summary of the current conservation treatment being carried out on Les Demoiselles.
A TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION OF PAINTS USED BY JACKSON POLLOCK IN HIS DRIP OR POURED PAINTINGS
Susan Lake, Eugena Ordonez and Michael Schilling
This study presents the analytical results of nine paintings executed by Jackson Pollock between 1943 and 1950 in the 'drip' or 'poured' method for which he is most famous. Pigment and medium analysis reveals that, contrary to popular perception, Pollock's development of his radical new painting style was not linear. Nor did it involve his immediate and wholesale adoption of commercial paints, which he poured directly from the can or dripped with sticks and stiffened brushes. While improvisation and spontaneity were certainly factors in Pollock's working method, analysis indicates that the artist's selection of his paints was inspired by the aesthetic qualities he sought and by his developing sensibility to the physical properties of the paints he was using.
INTUITION AND THE INCIDENTAL: THE PAINTINGS OF BARNETT NEWMAN
Suzanne Penn
In 1948 Barnett Newman made a modest-sized oil painting incorporating masking tape. Newman considered this painting, which he later entitled Onement I, to be his artistic breakthrough and indeed it does represent, both conceptually and in the artist's use of his materials, a radical shift from his preceding works. Throughout the rest of his career Newman continued to utilize the possibilities of 'accident and control' and the fusion of 'concept and execution' which he first experienced in making Onement I. Newman's writings and comments he made in interviews further elucidate these ideas that are so powerfully expressed in his paintings. This paper combines analysis of the artist's writings with the technical examinations carried out on all his extant works.
UNUSUAL SUBSTITUTE MATERIALS IN PAINTINGS, BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF SOCIALIST REALISM IN EASTERN EUROPE
Iwona Szmelter and Jacek Gramatyka
This paper deals with the widespread use of unusual substitute materials in paintings. In particular, it discusses historical and sdtechnological issues related to Socialist Realist painting and the uniquely rich and powerful techniques employed by artists in eastern Europe in the 1950s. During that period, practically any kind of ordinary material might be used to make a work of art. Without understanding the particular working methods involved, appropriate conservation is very difficult. These unconventional materials and techniques are discussed on the basis of literature research, interviews with artists and their families, and the examination and conservation of actual artworks.
THE CONSERVATION OF BEAT ART, WITH A FOCUS ON JAY DEFEO
Niccolo Caldararo
The Beat Generation artists of the mid-twentieth century executed their paintings on various supports with a variety of pigmented media (including house paints), unpigmented media (including caulking and adhesives) and coatings. Paintings were reworked with tools other than brushes, resulting in surfaces of an unconventional nature. Constructions were added to produce assemblage and collage. Conservators are faced with the problem of stabilizing work which contains components that may be intrinsically unstable, while maintaining the integrity of the artist's intent. The paper describes a representative selection of paintings, with a focus on the work of Jay DeFeo, and the treatments developed to deal with them.
POP REVISITED: THE COLLAGE AND ASSEMBLAGE WORK OF TOM WESSELMANN
Daria Keynan
In the 1960s Tom Wesselmann worked extensively in collage and assemblage. In recent years a troubling phenomenon has become apparent in these works: collage elements are fading, sometimes dramatically. The artist has been seeking a way to reverse the effect of the fading by reintroducing color into these works. This paper reviews his past approach to restoration of the images and describes a new attempt at solving the problem. Essentially, new collage elements are reproduced and superimposed over the faded ones. The work is carried out in collaboration with the artist. This treatment solution is fraught with technical and ethical difficulties, which this paper attempts to address.
THE RESTORATION OF A GROUP OF WORKS OF ART BY PIERO GILARDI
Antonio Rava, Roberta Verteramo and Oscar Chiantore
The restoration of seven important works made with polyurethane foam by the artist Piero Gilardi during the 1960s and 1970s provided the opportunity for a scientific conservation approach, resulting in increased knowledge and understanding of the artist's techniques. Documentation of the fabrication of the works and analysis of the original materials guided the complex restoration work, where consolidation and replacement of missing elements were the principal issues.
REVERSAL VERSUS RETIREMENT: STUDY AND TREATMENT OF BLACK PAINTING, 1960-66 BY AD REINHARDT
Carol Stringari, Ellen Pratt, Christopher McGlinchey
An overpainted black painting by Ad Reinhardt, 'written off' by an insurance company and considered of little value, provided the opportunity to explore various experimental treatments, as well as the ethical issues involved. This collaboration between the Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, New York, is an in-depth study of the materials of the painting and its restoration history. Extensive historical research, interviews with artists and scholars, and comparative viewing and testing resulted in a comprehensive dossier on the artist and the treatment of monochromatic surfaces. Traditional techniques for removal of the overpainted surface were tested and evaluated, as well as an experimental technique using lasers. Ethical issues, analysis, research protocol, and the results of the experimental treatments are discussed.
ANALYSIS OF THE PAINTED OEUVRE OF JEAN-PAUL RIOPELLE: FROM OIL TO MIXED MEDIA
Marie-Claude Corbeil, Kate Helwig & Jennifer Poulin
This article focuses on specific aspects of the technique of Canadian abstract painter, Jean-Paul Riopelle. Riopelle's early works were painted in oil. He painted thickly and mixed matt and lustrous paint. This technique has resulted in several conservation problems, such as the cracking of matt paint and the appearance of exudates. The same pigment/oil combinations were found in samples of damaged blue paint and of blue paint that showed no defects. Analysis confirmed that the exudate is oil that has leached out from the paint: linseed or poppyseed oil, or mixtures of these two drying oils. One consequence of Riopelle's use of matt and glossy paint is that his paintings should never be varnished. In the 1980s, Riopelle started using more non-traditional materials, including aerosol paint and paint for crafts and fabrics, which introduced a new set of conservation concerns for his work. Two types of aerosol paint were identified, one based on an iso-phthalate alkyd, the other containing a melamine-formaldehyde-sulfonamide resin, which acts as a carrier for fluorescent pigments. The same medium, consisting of an acrylic ester-acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, was found in most of the non-aerosol paint samples, including nacreous paints based on iron oxide-mica pigments.
PALERMO AT WORK
Pia Gottschaller
In New York City between 1973 and 1977, the German artist Palermo created his final body of work, comprising close to 30 serial works which he executed in various synthetic media. Despite the restrained, formal design of the works, Palermo succeeded in creating the most exuberant colour combinations. Close study of the works makes it clear that these are the result of a laborious process, evidence of which is still present beneath the surface in the form of multiple layers, often exceeding 20 on a single panel. This paper describes how the discovery of four sketchbooks by Palermo, and other documentary sources as well as cross-sections, allowed an unprecedented reconstruction of the evolution of the series. These sources also provide a significantly improved understanding of Palermo as an artist and how his sensibility is manifested in his works, particularly those on aluminium.
JOSEF ALBERS'S MONUMENTAL HOMAGE TO THE SQUARE
James Hamm
Josef Albers's well-known series of paintings and prints, generally called Homage to the Square, was developed and refined over 25 years, beginning in 1949. In 1969, Albers received a commission from the Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate New York to paint two murals, each 32 square meters, on purpose-built walls in the new administration building. This paper examines the two-year development of these paintings, the materials and techniques used, and how they relate to Albers's Homage to the Square easel paintings. The function of the architectural space in terms of lighting is examined. The recent conservation treatment of these murals required special precautions to ensure that the large fields of unmodulated color would remain consistent after cleaning.
CONSERVATION OF MURAL PAINTINGS IN THE ALAMEDA THEATRE: REVIVING FORMER CUTTING-EDGE FLUORESCENT PAINT AND BLACK-LIGHT TECHNOLOGY
Jia-sun Tsang, Sarah Eleni Pinchin, Killis Almond and Charles S. Tumosa
The murals that decorate the auditorium of the Alameda Theatre in San Antonio, Texas, painted in 1948, are examples of one of the earliest uses of fluorescent paints. These are 'black-light' murals, which provided a spectacle in theatres of the 1940s and 1950s, combining the impact of lively fluorescent color and strategically positioned ultraviolet light. Paints by Switzer Brothers Inc. were probably used for the Alameda murals - products that have become synonymous with the brand name Day-Glo Color. The Switzers invented daylight fluorescent pigments and patented their production technique in 1949. Since then, the light-sensitivity and instability of daylight fluorescent paints have caused widespread concern. Surprisingly, these early examples do not exhibit evidence of fading, although the murals are damaged by leaks due to neglect of the building and by abrasion resulting from architectural alterations. The development of a new museum has provided the initiative to restore the original fabric of the theatre. A team of specialists has collaborated to investigate the technique and to devise a method to preserve and present the paintings.
THE MIGRATION OF SURFACTANTS IN ACRYLIC EMULSION PAINT FILMS
Shawn Digney-Peer, Aviva Burnstock, Tom Learner, Herant Khanjian, Frank Hoogland & Jaap Boon
Artists' acrylic emulsion paints are formulated using many constituents. Non-ionic surfactants such as those based on polyethylene oxides (PEOs) have been found in acrylic paint films, which may function both to stabilize the acrylic polymer in the aqueous emulsion phase and to aid pigment wetting and dispersion. PEOs that remain relatively mobile in the dried polymer film may affect surface gloss in a painting, the extent and nature of dirt pick-up, and the sensitivity of the film to methods used for surface cleaning. The present study aimed to characterize the migration of PEO surfactant in selected contemporary acrylic emulsion paints made by Winsor & Newton and Golden Artist Colors, and to assess the effects of swab-rolling with water and non-polar solvent, used for surface cleaning paintings, on dried and light-aged paint films. Methods for characterization included light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The results show that PEOs, present as characteristic aggregates at the surface of films, are light-sensitive, hygroscopic, and readily soluble in water applied using a swab in cleaning tests. These findings may be relevant to the methods used for the surface cleaning of acrylic paintings.
AMERICA'S COLORMEN: BOCOUR, LEVISON, GAMBLIN, AND GOLDEN
Joyce Hill Stoner
Four paint manufacturers have figured prominently in the world of contemporary art conservation in the US: Leonard Bocour (1910-93), Henry Levison (1906-88), Robert Gamblin (b. 1948) and Mark Golden (b. 1954). The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC) has transcripts of interviews with all four men and additional transcripts from allied professionals: René de la Rie, conservation scientist, artists Mark Gottsegen and Joy Turner Luke of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM International) and Monona Rossol of Arts, Crafts, and Theater Safety (ACTS). The Bocour, Liquitex, Gamblin and Golden companies have manufactured paints used by both artists and conservators. Conservators were at first the incidental consumers of products created by Bocour and Levison, but eventually became target customers for Gamblin and Golden.
ASTM INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ARTISTS' MATERIALS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON MODERN PAINTS
Mark D. Gottsegen
Since 1980, the American Society for Testing and Materials has published 14 standards for the quality, performance and health labeling of artists' paints and related materials. This paper examines the impact these published standards have had on the users and producers of these materials: artists, conservators and manufacturers. One of the most significant effects has been on the methods used to assess and report on the lightfastness of colorants used in artists' materials, and the resulting changes in product labeling. As a consequence of the work of members of ASTM D01.57, the Subcommittee on Artists' Paints and Related Materials, there has been an increase in the amount of information freely available to all users worldwide. ASTM D01.57 has concentrated for more than 25 years on traditional artists' paints, but has recently shifted its focus to less traditional materials: colored pencils, pastels, digital imagery and photographic materials.
CHARACTERIZATION OF ALKYD PAINT MEDIA BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY
Michael R. Schilling, Joy Keeney and Tom Learner
Alkyd resins, manufactured from polyols, polybasic acids and monobasic fatty acids, may be categorized as oil-modified polyesters. Resin formulators customize the drying and performance properties of alkyd paints either by varying the type and/or stoichiometric proportions of the reactants, or by adding modifiers (for example, styrene, acrylics and isocyanates) during the manufacturing processes. Alkyd resins have been widely used as binding media in virtually all types of paints since the 1940s, having replaced drying oils in many industrial applications. Identification of alkyd paint media is most often accomplished using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) or pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS), yet these techniques are semi-quantitative at best. Two GC-MS procedures have been developed for the quantitative analysis of polyol, dibasic acid and fatty acid components. Results from the analysis of various alkyd paints and unpigmented media demonstrate the utility of the procedures in characterizing alkyd paint media.
SHARING KNOWLEDGE FOR THE CONSERVATION OF CONTEMPORARY ART: CHANGING ROLES IN A MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS?
IJsbrand Hummelen & Tatja Scholte
The production of ephemeral and conceptual works in contemporary art introduces new concepts of transience, which require us to reconsider some of our common preservation strategies for museum collections. The meaning of a transitory work is often conveyed through its non-tangible aspects and in the sharing of tacit knowledge, for example between the artist and the museum professional. For the preservation and presentation of these works in the way they were intended, documentation of the non-tangible and tacit knowledge becomes increasingly important, especially when the documentation is the main source for the (re)presentation of the work. In this article the authors reflect on a heterogeneous and pro-active documentation practice that incorporates both non-tangible aspects and tacit knowledge (such as interviews with artists), and make a comparison with the retrospective documentation approaches common for historical objects. A better definition of the roles of the protagonists in the documentation process is necessary for the validation of the information. The authors set out the conditions for sharing such knowledge and information through a digital network.