This integrated collaborative project was initiated in 2002 by Tate in London, the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C., and the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), and now involves a much larger network of research institutions and modern art galleries around the world. One of the key moments in the project to date was the Modern Paints Uncovered symposium, held at Tate Modern in 2006, at which many of the accomplishments in this research area were presented. The proceedings from this symposium are now available and provide the best overview of the project to date.
This long-term project aims to increase significantly the information that is available to conservators on modern paints, so that ultimately better-informed decisions can be made on how best to preserve these materials. To date, it has focused on three main areas:
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developing and testing techniques for their analysis;
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measuring their physical and surface characteristics;
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assessing the short and long-term effects of cleaning treatments.
This project is part of GCI's Modern and Contemporary Art Research Initiative.