 |
*Common Problems in Archaeological and Ethnographic Conservation Intersect with the Contemporary: Case Studies of Two African Objects
Dana Moffett, Stephanie Hornbeck, Stephen Mellor
National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, 950 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC, 20560.
ABSTRACT
Two case studies of contemporary African art which illustrate conservation issues presented by contemporary media at the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, are discussed. It has become increasingly apparent that modern objects share many of the problems- materials identification, deterioration agents, treatment selection- associated with traditional works and that the ethnographic conservator's repertoire easily transfers to contemporary art. Both the sculpture, Urban Testaments IV by Rudzani Nemasetoni (95-13-10) and the vessel, Untitled I, by Magdalene Odundo (95-8-1) were fabricated in the last ten years and both exhibit efflorescence. Conservators conducted technical studies including instrumental analyses on both objects and valuable contextual information was derived from interviews with the artists. In one case the efflorescence derives from a corrosion inhibitor applied to an iron chain and in the other it derives from calcareous inclusions in a ceramic body which resulted in lime popping.
2002
Preprints to the 13th Triennial Meeting, Rio de Janeiro, ICOM Committee for Conservation. Roy Vontobel, ed, International Council of Museums, vol. 2. pp. 679-684.
|
|
