CONSERVATION SCIENCE FOR THE RESTORATION OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART

The module is a fundamental training activity for the preparation of the Conservation- Heritage scientist.
It provides tools for the diagnostic study of modern and contemporary artwork as an essential guide for the comprehension of the artefact and in support of conservative treatment, in particular in the use of innovative methodologies.

- Knowledge and understanding: understand the main alteration mechanisms of the materials constituting the artworks from the chemical point of view, in particular, modern and contemporary; understand the methods of analysis; knowledge of innovative methodologies of intervention and materials for restoration (in particular cleaning)
- Ability to apply knowledge: know how to apply the concepts learned on degradation processes of modern and contemporary artworks and materials in the drafting a condition report and in the subsequent drafting of the intervention project; knowing how to use the scientific data deriving from the surveys carried out for the drafting of the intervention project; knowing how to correctly choose restoration materials and methods based on the scientific analysis
- Ability to judge: develop a critical and ethical approach to conservation treatment
- Communication skills: knowing how to expose the data collected in a complete condition report and in an intervention report through specific glossary
- Learning skills: being able to take notes during lessons, deepening the concepts through individual study and with suggested articles or autonomously, being able to consult the texts and the assigned references

Students must demonstrate a preparation in basic chemistry concepts (general and inorganic), in organic chemistry and conservation science; general concepts of chemistry applied to conservation and materials technology are highly recommended.

THEORETICAL LESSONS
- Modern and contemporary art: materials and their degradation, in particular commercial oil paints
- Natural materials and synthetic materials: polymerization mechanisms, degradation processes
- Conservation problems
- Diagnostics and study of modern and contemporary artistic works
- Study cases

PRACTICAL LESSONS AND LABORATORY (depending on the selected artworks under examination)
- Drafting of condition reports on the selected artworks
- Diagnostics and study of the works under examination using non-invasive and micro-invasive methods
- Conservative treatments, in particular:
1) Cleaning tests:
- Dry methods: chemical characteristics of the main materials (sponges, microfibre cloths, rubbers). Practical tests on modern paint samples
- Water-based methods: surfactants, chelating agents, emulsions
- Solvents: solubility parameters, solubility test.
2) Consolidation
3) Protection

- Cremonesi P. Signorini E., Un approccio alla pulitura dei dipinti mobili, Il prato, Padova, 2016
- Bomford D.; Kirby J.; Leighton J.; Roy A.; Art in the making .Impressionism, Yale University Press London,1990
-Hummelen I., Sillé D., Modern art: who cares? Archetype, London, 2005 (atti convegno Amsterdam 1999)
- Beltinger K., Nadolny J. (ed), Painting in Tempera, c.1900, Archetype, London, 2016
- AA.VV., Effetto Luce, materiali tecnica, conservazione della pittura italiana dell’Ottocento, Edifir, Firenze, 2009, (Atti del convegno IGIIC 2008)
- Selva Bonino V.E.(ed), Dall’olio all’acrilico, dall’impressionismo all’arte contemporanea, Il prato, Saonara (PD), 2016 (atti convegno CESMAR, Mlano, 2015)
- F. Izzo;K. v. den;H. v. Keulen;B. Ferriani;E. Zendri Modern Oil Paints – Formulations, Organic Additives and Degradation: Some Case Studies in van den Berg, Klaas Jan, Burnstock, Aviva, de Keijzer, Matthijs, Krueger, Jay, Learner, Tom, Tagle, de, Alberto, Heydenreich, Gunnar, Issues in Contemporary Oil Paint, Springer International Publishing, pp. 75-104, 2014
- Chiantore O., Rava A., Conservare l’arte contemporanea, Electa, Milano, 2005
- Iazurlo P. Valentini F.(ed) Conservazione dell’arte contemporanea, temi e problemi, Il Prato, Saonara (PD), 2010
- D’Ayala Valva M., TOWNSEND J.H.(ed), Materiali d’artista, l’atelier del pittore nell’Otto e Novecento, Edizioni della Normale, 2016
- FELLER R.L., STOLOW N., JONES E.H., On picture varnishes and their solvents, Nation Gallery of Art, Washington 1985
- Laura Fuster-López, Francesca Caterina Izzo, Valentina Damato, Dolores J.Yusà-Marco, Elisabetta Zendri, An insight into the mechanical properties of selected commercial oil and alkyd paint films containing cobalt blue in JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE, 2019, vol. 35, pp. 225-234
- Fuster Lopez, Laura; Izzo, Francesca Caterina; Piovesan, Marco; Yusa Marco, Dolores J; Sperni, Laura; Zendri, Elisabetta, Study of the chemical composition and the mechanical behaviour of 20th century commercial artists' oil paints containing manganese-based pigments in MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL, 2016, vol. 124, pp. 962-973
- Giorgi, L; Nevin, A. ; Nodari, L. ; Comelli, D. ; Alberti, R. ; Gironda, M. ; Mosca, S. ; Zendri, E. ; Piccolo, M. ; Izzo, F. C., In-situ technical study of modern paintings part 1: The evolution of artistic materials and painting techniques in ten paintings from 1889 to 1940 by Alessandro Milesi (1856-1945) in SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY, 2019,vol. 219, pp. 530-538
- Giorgi, L; Nevin, A.; Comelli, D; Frizzi, T; Alberti, R; Zendri, E; Piccolo, M; Izzo, F.C., In-situ technical study of modern paintings - Part 2: Imaging and spectroscopic analysis of zinc white in paintings from 1889 to 1940 by Alessandro Milesi (1856-1945) in SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY, 2019, vol. 219, pp. 504-508
- Izzo, Francesca Caterina; Vitale, Valentina; Fabbro, Chiara; Van Keulen, Henk Multi-analytical investigation on felt-tip pen inks: formulation and preliminary photo-degradation study in MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL,2016, vol. 124, pp. 919-928
- Izzo, Francesca Caterina; Chiara, Mazzei; Zendri, Elisabetta; Valentina, Capogrosso; Michele, Gironda; Roberto, Alberti; Luca, Nodari; Arianna, Gambirasi; Austin, Nevin Multi-analytical non-invasive study of modern yellow paints from postwar Italian paintings from the International Gallery of Modern Art Cà Pesaro, Venice in X-RAY SPECTROMETRY, 2015, vol. 44, pp. 296-304
- F.C. Izzo; KJ van den Berg; H van Keulen; B. Ferriani; E Zendri 20th century artists' oil paints: the case of the Olii by Lucio Fontana in JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE, 2014, vol. 15, pp. 557-563

- frequency of lessons and laboratories
- discussions and brainstorming during teaching hours
- individual study of handouts and notes
- reading and study of in-depth articles

- frontal lessons with the help of ppt and handouts
- in-depth analysis of specific published case studies
- practical and experimental research
- conservation treatment on selected artworks

English

The artworks will be selected together with the conservators of the International Gallery of Modern Art Ca 'Pesaro of Venice

written and oral