Some considerations on conservation and restoration in contemporary art

A number of aspects and problems are discussed which refer to conservation and restoration in contemporary art. The need to classify contemporary art objects not chronologically but materially is Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage 196 obvious, which as well as using traditional techniques utilize new materials made available by industrial research. Thus the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to the problem, not only involving the experts, who have the historical-artistic and technical expertise, but the authors of the works in question too (and the manufacturers of the constituent materials of the said works), in order to be able to have a complete informative view of the corresponding characteristics and properties

Le copie ovvero le versioni de “La Gioconda” a confronto: valutazione storico-artistica e diagnostico-analitica

The historical-artistic and technical-analytical study, concerning and taking up again the “Mona Lisa”, covered the comparison of some art works executed by different au- thors at different times. In relation to this, it is necessary to distinguish two versions of the “Mona Lisa” of Isleworth and the Louvre, both executed by Leonardo in different periods, from the copies of one version or the other or a combination of both.Lo studio storico-artistico e tecnico-analitico ha riguardato il confronto di alcune opere d’arte eseguite da diversi autori nel corso degli anni, il cui soggetto si riferisce e riprende la “Monna Lisa” di Leonardo. Al riguardo è necessario distinguere le due versioni di “Monna Lisa” di Isleworth e di “Monna Lisa” del Louvre, entrambe opere di Leonardo da lui eseguite in periodi diversi, dalle copie di una o dell’altra versione o di una combinazione di entrambe

Laser scattering methodology for measuring particulates in the air

A description is given of the laser scattering method to measure PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 dusts in confirmed environments (museums, libraries, archives, art galleries, etc.). Such equipment presents many advantages, in comparison with those which are actually in use, not only from an analytic but also from a functional point of view

La sinergia fra scienze umane e scienze sperimentali per la tutela e valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale e ambientale: L’attività di Salvatore Lorusso nella formazione e nella ricerca

Interdisciplinarity and internationalization in the field of cultural and environmental heritage represent two fundamental concepts and objectives in the field of academic training and research. These are the concepts and objectives achieved in the forty years of activity of Salvatore Lorusso and represent the culmination of his long experience, which has been directed at creating a synergy between the human sciences and experimental sciences for the protection and enhancement of cultural and environmental heritage. In this paper, as well as providing a brief summary of this activity, emphasis is placed on how courage, perseverance and creativity have led to the current assertion to ‘build networks’ between stakeholders and players, so that the equation “habitus e habitat” from theory has become reality.L’interdisciplinarità e l’internazionalizzazione nel settore dei beni culturali e ambientali rappresentano fondamentali intenti ed obiettivi rivolti alla formazione e alla ricerca. Questi concetti, ormai da diversi anni acquisiti, rappresentano il punto di arrivo della quarantennale attività di Salvatore Lorusso volta alla sinergia fra scienze umane e scienze sperimentali per la tutela e valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale e ambientale. Nel lavoro, oltre che riassumere sommariamente tale attività, si sottolinea come coraggio, perseveranza, creatività hanno condotto all’affermazione oggi imperante di “fare sistema”, per cui l’equazione “habitus e habitat” da teoria si è fatta pratica

La qualità della formazione: il corso di Alta Formazione in "Conservazione, gestione e catalogazione delle raccolte e collezioni in archivi, biblioteche, musei"

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The traditional, the innovative, the ephemeral: conception, realization, intervention in contemporary art

The traditional, the innovative, the ephemeral: conception, realization, intervention in contemporary art. One must consider the traditional, the innovative and also the ephemeral related to the artistic intentions and thus to the interventions on works of contemporary art, for which the concepts of originality and authenticity do not always correspond. The Brandian vision and point of view do not completely resolve the problematics relative to restoration and conservation: artists realize their artifacts with the intention of undermining tradition or, however, of interpreting it in an unusual way. There are, therefore, cases when a diagnostic-analytical and conservative intervention is possible correspondently to the different and numerous typologies of the materials (poor, plastic, industrial) and techniques (collage, enamel on rubber foam, paint on textile or plastic, neon). A vocation for the ephemeral can be transformed into the adoption of deteriorated materials or into the realization of works of conceptual art and net-art. Some case studies are treated in the comparison of art works of different age. The solutions to the aforementioned problematics are offered and the importance of the involvement of the historical-technical experts, authors and manufacturers of the materials used in the artifacts is highlighted. Finally the procedure of intervention cannot be the same for all works of contemporary art. One must employ a methodology based on the critical study, not only of the materials used but also of the philosophy and creative conceptual intentions of the artist

Mechanical behaviour and phase transition mechanisms of a shape memory alloy by means of a novel analytical model

The aim of the present paper is to examine both the fatigue behaviour and the phase transition mechanisms of an equiatomic pseudo-elastic NiTi Shape Memory Alloy through cyclic tests (up to 100 loading cycles). More precisely, miniaturised dog-bone specimens are tested by using a customised testing machine and the contents of both austenite and martensite phase are experimentally measured by means of X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. On the basis of such experimental results in terms of martensite content, an analytical model is here formulated to correlate the stress-strain relationship to the phase transition mechanisms. Finally, a validation of the present model by means of experimental data pertaining the stress-strain relationship is performed

Colorimetry applied to the field of cultural heritage: examples of study cases

For a few years now, the Dipartimento di Storie e Metodi per la Conservazione dei Beni Culturali of the Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (sede di Ravenna) has been creating a Diagnostic Laboratory for the study on the “system: cultural heritage/conservation environment”. In the present paper the results of different surveys concerning the use of colorimetry on different typologies of art works are reported: graphic documents (fig. 1); oil painting on board and canvas (fig. 2); wall painting (fig. 3); stony materials consolidated with ethyl silicate (fig. 4). Measurements of the chromatic parameters, according to the CIE L*a*b* chromaticity diagram and to the UNI 8941 Standard Coloured surfaces, were carried out with the spectrophotometric colorimeter Minolta CM-2600D model. The reference measurements (targets) were carried out on every typology of works. Such targets, recorded on the tool or in the computer, could be considered in order to draw a comparison in time on the same studied surface. It is then possible to check the trend of the chromatic alteration as an effect of interaction of the environment of location-conservation with the art work and, then to determine the causes, i.e the environmental operating-factors. The measurements of the chromatic parameters for graphic documents and for wall paintings have also allowed us to establish if the modifications, caused by an inappropriate environment, must be linked to irreversible or reversible effects and, then, with the possibility of being removed. As regards wall paintings, the respect of the “noble patina” was showed, as established by the Card of Restoration, by means of the measurement of the + b* parameters (yellow degree). The studies on stony materials aimed at the evaluation of the chromatic alterations of the art works previously consolidated with various products based on ethyl silicates: different results were reached according to the different degree of stone cohesion, anisotropy of the material and different exposure conditions of the works. Such researches may contribute to applying colorimetry in the field of cultural heritage