Current Technical Challenges in the Conservation of Paintings

This collection of papers from the ICON Paintings Group Conference: ‘Modern Conservation: What’s new?’ (2014) discusses various aspects of modern conservation including: the deterioration and conservation of contemporary works of art and problems posed by it; appraisal of new conservation materials and their properties; new and innovative techniques that are being developed and used to address conservation problems; or new and novel ways of using traditional or well-known materials already in the conservator’s tool kit. Authors consider recent developments in wet cleaning systems for unvarnished modern and contemporary painted surfaces; the treating of and removal of liquefying paint; an evaluation of adhesives, consolidants and retouching media for the conservation and treatment of paintings on transparent plastic supports; and a review of rigid stretcher insert systems, their materials and applications. Papers include a number of case studies, exploring modern conservation materials and complex ethical issues. Contents: In search of a solution for softening and weeping paints in contemporary paintings by Tal R and Frank van Hemert - Ida Bronken Kinesio tape: conservation science meets sports medicine - Anna Krez Lascaux Acrylic Dispersion 498HV and Medium for Consolidation 4176 used as Consolidants in Two Very Different Practical Case Studies - Jim Dimond Laropal A81 as an alternative to MS2A and other resins: a practical discussion - Sophie Reddington A summary of recent developments in wet surface cleaning systems: unvarnished modern and contemporary painted surfaces - Bronwyn Ormsby Using a categorisation framework to simplify a complex approach to the conservation of modern art - Taeeun Kim Vibration Management for Canvas Paintings: A Review of Rigid Stretcher Insert Systems, their Materials and Applications - Laura Hinde Cleaning Off Liquefying Paint - Line Blomsterberg Andersen Consultancy, Assistance and Participation: Ethical Consequences of Conservation and Artistic Team Transgressions - Miroslaw Wachiwiak Conservation Issues Related to the use of Auxiliary Supports in Treatment of Modern Paintings of Untypical Technical Structure on the Example of Works from the Series Hors Cadre by Aleksander Kobzdej - Slawomir Kaminski