Resurrected Abelam Bark Painting Returned to View
Consolidating with air brush, paint wet with consolidant.
The painting had also suffered a wound: in the bottom right corner was a gaping hole. The bark around the hole was curling: we had to flatten it to effectively bridge the gap. We used Goretex—a material developed by the sports industry that is waterproof yet breathable— to gently introduce water vapor to the distorted areas. This humidification softened the bark enough to allow us to flatten it and mend the hole with a bridge of toned, archival tissue.
Left: Hole before treatment. Right: Hole after treatment.
Now clean, much flatter, and hanging high in the galleries, the work more closely resembles its bold original incarnation. And, most importantly, it is now exhibited in a climate-controlled environment, ensuring a long-lasting bond between paint and bark.
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Kenya Brown:
August 22nd, 2012 at 9:39 am
Hi Ellen,
Great work and thanks for the details of the restoration. I was curious about how you inserted the Goretex. Was it from the back of the bark or did you cut out shapes and place them in the front? What kind of adhesive did you use to put the Goretex in place? Because it was bark what kind of consolidant did you use prior if any? PEG or another resin?
Keep up the good work!
Lisa Bruno, Head Objects Conservator:
August 24th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Hi Kenya, The Gortex was used temporarily on the front, as a barrier only for the wet blotter that was used to introduce water vapor. Water direct on the object would have been disasterous. When the bark was soft enough to manipulate, the Gortex and blotter were removed. The bark was plied into place and weighted until dry. The toned tissue fill was secured with the same adhesive used to consolidate the paint. This way, not too many diverse materials are introduced to the object. Lisa