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The Relationship between Conservators and Living Artists. Account and Reflections from a Direct Experience: The Sacri Indici ( Sacred Indexes ) Exhibition

2023; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 24; Issue: 3-4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/18680860.2023.2281614

2057-1682

Beatrice Marseglia, Andrea Del Bianco, Camilla Roversi Monaco,

Building materials and conservation

ABSTRACTIn Contemporary Art Conservation, involving artists is increasingly important to understand their creative processes and materials, and to determine how to treat their artworks when they age or get damaged. This article shows the collaboration with the visual artist and performer Sissi (Daniela Olivieri) for her 2022 exhibition of artworks on paper Sacri Indici (Sacred Indexes). The materials used in these works include office paper, photocopies, drawing and rubber stamp inks, acrylics, and glue sticks. Before the event, the pieces were examined, and then various conservation treatments were applied to those vulnerable materials. For the event, Sissi also created a new artwork with support structure made by the conservators. The installation setup respected both the conservation criteria and the site-specific needs. This experience proved the fruitful relationship between the conservator and the artist and highlighted the need for the conservator to develop additional skills to promote an event.ZUSAMMENFASSUNGBei der Konservierung zeitgenössischer Kunst wird die Einbeziehung von Künstlern immer wichtiger, um Einsichten in ihre kreativen Prozesse und die von ihnen verwendeten Materialien zu bekommen und veraltende sowie zerfallende Werke angemessen zu behandeln. Schwerpunkt des vorliegenden Artikels ist die Zusammenarbeit der KonservatorInnen mit der bildenden Künstlerin und Performerin Sissi (Daniela Olivieri) bei der Organisation ihrer Ausstellung von Papierkunstwerken Sacred Indexes im Jahr 2022. Vor der Veranstaltung wurden die ausgewählten Werke untersucht und verschiedene Konservierungsmaßnahmen an den empfindlichen Materialien – u.a. Büropapier, Fotokopien, Zeichen- und Stempelfarben, Acrylfarben und Klebestifte – vorgenommen. Anlässlich der Veranstaltung wurde von Sissi ein neues Werk geschaffen, dessen Tragstruktur von den KonservatorInnen erstellt wurde. Die Ausstellungsinstallation respektierte sowohl die konservatorischen Kriterien als auch die ortsspezifischen Anforderungen der Installation. Diese Erfahrung zeigt die Fruchtbarkeit der Zusammenarbeit zwischen KonservatorInnen/RestauratorInnen und Künstlern und unterstreicht die Notwendigkeit der Erwerbung zusätzlicher Soft- und Hardskills seitens der RestauratorInnen zur optimalen Förderung einer Veranstaltung.KEYWORDS: Contemporary art exhibitionsliving artistsoffice paperPVA-Borax/Agar agar hydrogelpre-coated tissuesSCHLÜSSELWÖRTER: Zeitgenössische KunstausstellungenLebende KünstlerBüropapierPVA-Borax/Agar-Agar-HydrogelVorgefertigte Gewebe AcknowledgementsThis work results from the collaboration of numerous and diverse professionals: conservators, diagnosticians, photographers, gallery owners, artists, journalists, curators, professors, art historians, and critics. I sincerely thank them for their valuable contributions and the beautiful and rich teamwork that was created: 'Teamwork makes the dream work'. Remembering that the experience of Sacred Indices was part of my thesis project, I especially thank my advisors, professors Camilla Roversi Monaco and Andrea Del Bianco, also co-authors of this paper. Throughout my thesis and years of education, Camilla has been an important point of reference. I thank her for entrusting me with this challenging work, as I feel it has strengthened me personally and professionally. Andrea provided me with solid scientific foundations and ignited a strong and vibrant curiosity for the chemistry and technology of materials. However, the development and outcome of this project would not have been so fruitful without the enthusiasm and interest shown by Sissi. I thank Sissi for trusting us, particularly me, and for recognizing and appreciating the passion and care I devoted to her artworks. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to engage with new materials, never before approached from a conservation perspective, and to discover and deeply study Sissi's art and poetics. I extend my thanks to LabOratorio degli Angeli for the assistance provided by its staff and for the financial support in purchasing the necessary tools and materials for the conservation processes conducted on the artworks and for the exhibition setup and promotion. It is worth emphasizing that this financial support, by the LabOratorio's own will, is made available for all the exhibitions proposed during the different editions of Art City Bologna. Lastly, I sincerely thank IADA for allowing us to share this experience, and in particular, Alberto Campagnolo for his kindness and availability in providing valuable advice for the writing of this article.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 The subject of this article was a thesis work for the diploma in Conservation of Cultural Heritage, specializing in the treatment of paper, leather, and parchment artefacts, completed by the author in November 2022 at the Conservation School of the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, Italy. The thesis advisors are the co-authors, Andrea Del Bianco and Camilla Roversi Monaco.2 Since its first edition in 2013, Art City Bologna has established itself as an annual contemporary art exhibition held in conjunction with the historic Arte Fiera Bologna (Bologna Fiere, Citation2023). Art City aims to involve the entire city of Bologna and its province, including galleries, institutions, and other historical and modern venues that are not typically used as exhibition spaces, to organize and host exhibitions, performances, workshops, conferences, and many other events related to contemporary art (MAMbo, Citation2023).3 Sissi has an official website (sissisissi.com) and an Instagram profile (@iosissi), through which it is possible to stay updated and follow her artistic production differently.4 In other words, Sissi interprets certain forms of degradation that develop on artworks as evidence of their life, their transformation, much like the bodies and emotions of human beings.5 LabOratorio degli Angeli has been participating in Art City Bologna since its second edition in 2014.6 Only for the first two editions in which LabOratorio degli Angeli participated were works of deceased artists proposed. For Art City 2014, the works of Aldo Mondino (1938–2005) were presented, and for the following year's edition, the works of Piero Manai (1951–1988) were showcased (LabOratorio degli Angeli, Citation2023b).7 The conservator is a constantly present and fundamental figure in the organizing team of the exhibition event, but here this aspect is particularly valued and emphasized. The dialogue between conservator and artist becomes a key element included in the concept of the exhibitions that LabOratorio degli Angeli presents in each edition of Art City Bologna.8 It is important to emphasize that even before Sissi theorized it in a book, this anatomical perspective has always been present in various forms in her works: in addition to drawings, explicit or implicit references to human anatomy can be found in her clothing, sculptures, and complex installations.9 The first three Indici were conceived by Sissi in 2012 for the site-specific installation Volume interno, held at the spaces of the VOLUME! Foundation in Rome and curated by Claudia Gioia (Gioia, Citation2012). In the following years, Sissi created additional Indici, thus establishing an ongoing and expanding series.10 Other tools, such as typewriters, Sissi finds them and goes looking for them at flea markets.11 The study for a preliminary understanding of office paper involved direct observations of material samples under various magnifications, using different light sources and illumination geometries. Empirical tests were conducted to assess its physical and mechanical behavior. Qualitative analytical investigations were also carried out, and literature research was conducted using available sources from paper production companies, stationery suppliers, and institutions providing training for paper technicians (Marseglia, Citation2022a).12 The analyses were conducted in collaboration with Michele Di Foggia, at the Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician" of the University of Bologna, Italy.13 Indeed, China inks with natural resin-based binders such as shellac can be diluted with water during their use. Once dry, the material film becomes less sensitive to water, but it remains highly soluble in ethanol.14 During the selection of the works to be exhibited, each of them was assigned a temporary letter or number, with the purpose of identifying and managing them more effectively in the various stages of preparation for the event, especially concerning the specimens of the Index series, all of which have the same title (Index).15 Navigator Universal Multifunctional office paper, A3 size, with a weight of 80 gsm (Giro di Penna Srl).16 More specifically, the reproductions from the Livorno edition of 1770 contained in the book "L'Encyclopédie, Corpo umano e Chirurgia" published by Libritalia in 2002 (Diderot and D'Alembert, Citation2002) were used.17 The PVA and Borax are separately dissolved in warm demineralized water. For the PVA, it is solubilized using a magnetic stirrer at a temperature below 80°C. Then, the PVA solution and the Borax solution are combined in a 4:1 ratio.18 The agar-agar powder is added to the PVA solution, and then it is cooked to dissolve the polysaccharide. Finally, the Borax solution is added to the mixture to form the viscoelastic gel.19 The choice of methods and materials for each phase was always preceded by appropriate compatibility and reversibility tests.20 Circular or tubular shapes formed by a flexible material that is bent or folded back on itself to create a closed curve.21 The loops made of Bondina®, thanks to their almost transparent appearance and minimal thickness, can remain applied to the artworks without causing any disturbance and are reversible: to remove them, it is sufficient to reactivate the adhesive used with butyl acetate and detach them without exerting any mechanical stress. Any adhesive residues can be removed with a compact eraser such as Staedtler® Mars Plastic or a gum eraser.Additional informationNotes on contributorsBeatrice MarsegliaBeatrice Marseglia is a young conservator specializing in paper, leather, and parchment artefacts. She attended the five-year course at the Conservation School of the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, graduating in 2022 with honours and distinction, with a thesis on the conservation of two drawings by contemporary artist Sissi (Daniela Olivieri) and the relationship between conservators and living artists. In January 2023, this work was presented at the Young Group IGIIC VI meeting. During her training, she completed internships at private conservation laboratories in Bologna, namely Post Scriptum s.a.s. and LabOratorio degli Angeli S.r.l. In 2019, at the Domenica di Carta (Paper Sunday) event promoted by the Ministry of Culture, she represented the book conservation course of the School, presenting her conservation work with her professor. Since 2023, Beatrice has been collaborating with LabOratorio degli Angeli and Sissi. She also won a grant for a post-graduate internship at the KODE Art Museums in Bergen, Norway, from August to October 2023.Andrea Del BiancoAndrea Del Bianco graduated in Industrial Chemistry (University of Bologna) and Conservation Methodologies (Bologna Fine Arts Academy). Since 2006 he has been involved in conserving ancient, modern and contemporary paper materials at LabOratorio degli Angeli located in Bologna, and in 2019 he became a partner of the company. The studio, specializing in paintings, stone and wall, paper and contemporary art conservation, has been active for over 50 years, working for public institutions and private clients. He has also obtained a Post-graduate Specialization in the Conservation of Contemporary Artworks at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure (Florence, Italy) and over the past ten years, he has focused on the conservation of paintings and synthetic materials artefacts. Since 2012, he has been a Professor of Chemistry and Conservation at the Bologna Fine Arts Academy.Camilla Roversi MonacoCamilla Roversi Monaco graduated in 1998 from the Paper Conservation course at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure (Florence, Italy). In the same year, she began working in private practice. In 2005, she took over the conservation studio of LabOratorio degli Angeli in Bologna and assumed the role of Technical Director. The studio specializes in conserving paintings, stone and wall, paper, and contemporary art. With over 50 years of experience, the studio serves public institutions and private clients. Camilla's main areas of expertise include the conservation of large-format paper artworks, planned conservation, and conservation assessments. Since 2004, she has been a professor at the Bologna Fine Arts Academy, where she also serves as the Academic Coordinator of the Master's course in Paper, Book, Photograph, Film, and Digital Material Conservation.