Updates

Updates from TATE - The Removal of Pressure Sensitive Tapes

Paper conservator Antonio Mirabile (AM) and a team of scientists from CSGI in Florence (Project partner and Project leader respectively) spent the last three years researching and developing new strategies to address the issue of pressure sensitive tapes removal from paper artifacts. Some of the outcomes of are now available through some publications and were presented by Antonio Mirabile through a two-day training course held at Tate Britain on 30 April and 1 May 2018. The course was structured to provide theoretical information in the morning, with a practical session in the afternoon. The first day focussed on an overview of PSTs, including their history and development, and their degradation over time.

Continue and read the whole article published on the TATE website.

Updates from TATE - Reviving "Whaam!"

In the last update from TATE researchers, the extensive cleaning system evaluation and optimising process were described. By the end of that process, TATE conservators are almost ready to take the hard work to "Whaam!", the famous painting by Roy Lichtenstein. The most promising gel developed in the Project frame, currently named "Peggy 6", seems to grant excellent performances in terms of removing soiling from paint films that were sensitive to wet cleaning procedures and abrasion and appears to offer an even cleaning effect over a large paint area.

Read the complete post on the TATE website.

Updates from TATE - Progress on the treatment of "Whaam!"

The work on the "Whaam!" masterpiece by Roy Lichtenstein proceeds at TATE and researchers and conservators are evaluating different cleaning strategies, included commonly used materials such as deionised, adjusted and buffered waters, organic solvents (alcohols, hydrocarbons and silicones), and water-based systems with added chelating agents and surfactants. These cleaning fluids are being loaded into hydrogels. The range of gels evaluated include natural polysaccharide-based rigid gels (Agarose and Gellan gum), silicone emulsifiers (Velvesil Plus, Shin-Etsu KSG 210 and Shin-Etsu KSG 350z) and a rigid chemical hydrogel made of poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (known as Nanorestore Gel® Extra Dry). Finally, the polyvinyl alcohol-based gels developed by CSGI, NANORESTART project leaders are being tested.

Here you can find the complete post published on the TATE website.

Updates from TATE - Conserving "Whaam!"

We are pleased to announce that a video on the conservation treatment of “Whaam!”, the 1963 masterpiece by Roy Lichtenstein, is now online. This contribution was specifically realised for the arrival on display of the painting in the Lichtenstein’s show at Tate Liverpool, which had opened in September last year.

The materials used to create the painting are challenging for conservators, as they don't react well to traditional cleaning methods. At last, a ground-breaking treatment broadly based on nanotechnology has allowed us to clean the work in a safe and controlled way, for the very first time in the painting's history. The treatment has been made possible thanks to a new gel created by CSGI, leader team of the NANORESTART Consortium.

Read the complete post published on Tate’s website.

View the video on Tate’s YouTube channel.

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