BRONWYN ORMSBY, TOM LEARNER, MICHAEL SCHILLING, JIM DRUZIK, HERANT KHANJIAN, DAVE CARSON, GARY FOSTER AND MIKE SLOAN
Conservators frequently report that the removal of surface dirt and grime from acrylic paintings can be problematic. While increasing amounts of research is being published on the analysis of acrylic paints and the historical use of acrylic paints by artists, relatively little has focused on the characterisation of the effects of surface cleaning treatments.
One of the current areas of research at Tate is the evaluation of surface cleaning treatments for acrylic paintings, which includes the characterisation of the physical and optical changes to acrylic paint films after cleaning. This forms part of a broad research collaboration on modern paints involving many academic and cultural institutions, such as the National Gallery of Art where researchers are developing chromatographic and spectroscopic methods for the identification of additives in acrylic paints and the characterisation of extractable components. The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) is continuing to develop techniques and methods for the quantitative identification of modern paints, as well as providing expertise and access to analytical equipment. Tate and GCI have also established a relationship with Exeter Advanced Technologies (X-aT), which has facilitated research into physical properties using thermal analytical techniques.http://www.tate.org.uk/research/tateresearch/tatepapers/06autumn/ormsby.htm
