Interpreting the surface: the application of surface science to artists' acrylic emulsion paint films

艺术家的丙烯酸乳化漆在20世纪50年代中期开始生产后，在20世纪60年代初开始流行。今天，丙烯酸颜料的销量与油画颜料不相上下，丙烯酸乳液艺术作品继续构成现当代艺术收藏的重要比例。知名用户包括大卫·霍克尼、安迪·沃霍尔、罗伊·利希滕斯坦、布里奇特·莱利、帕特里克·考尔菲尔德和约翰·霍伊兰。一些最古老的丙烯酸乳液画开始需要保护处理，因为分散的标记，沉积的污垢，表面光泽的损失和色彩饱和度的降低变得越来越明显。因此，建议对丙烯酸乳胶漆薄膜的表面进行系统的调查，因为这是暴露于光、污染、污染物、事故、环境、保护处理和迁移材料的累积效应集中的地方。到目前为止，存在于这些涂料表面的各种材料尚未得到充分表征，迁移表面活性剂和沉积污垢之间相互作用的性质尚未得到探索。表面活性剂在光照射（展示）下降解的机制和后果也必须确定，包括降解是否依赖于颜料类型，以及在下面的油漆表面去除表面活性剂（通过保存处理和/或展示）是否有任何后果。例如，必须确定表面活性剂的去除是否会增加油漆表面对随后的光/污染暴露的脆弱性。同样，记录在这些相对较软的漆膜表面留下表面活性剂和污垢的后果也很重要，因为存在污垢可能永久嵌入油漆表面的风险。该方案结合了泰特和盖蒂保护研究所的科学部门的专业知识和曼彻斯特大学化学工程和分析科学系（CEAS）的仪器和表面分析专业知识。我们对这些涂料表面脆弱性的理解将通过首次应用于这些涂料的科学技术和方法得到加强。研究结果将极大地有助于确定可靠地照顾和保护这些独特的、越来越有价值的现当代艺术品的最佳做法；从而有助于确保它们在未来的生存。

Artists' acrylic emulsion paints gained popularity in the early 1960s, after production began in the mid 1950s. Today, acrylic paints sell equally to oil paints and acrylic emulsion-based works of art continue to form significant proportions of modern and contemporary art collections. Well-known users include David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Bridget Riley, Patrick Caulfield and John Hoyland. Some of the oldest acrylic emulsion paintings are beginning to require conservation treatment as distracting marks, deposited soiling, loss of surface gloss and decreased colour saturation become increasingly apparent.It is therefore proposed to carry out systematic investigations of the surfaces of acrylic emulsion paint films, as this is where the cumulative effects of exposure to light, soiling, pollutants, accidents, environment, conservation treatments and migrated materials become concentrated. As yet the variety of materials present on the surfaces of these paints have not been fully characterised and the nature of the interactions between migrated surfactant and deposited soiling have not been explored. The mechanisms and consequences of the degradation of surfactants with light exposure (display) have also to be determined, including whether degradation is dependent on pigment type, and whether there are any consequences of the removal of surfactant (through conservation treatment and/or display) on the underlying paint surfaces. It is essential to establish for example, whether the removal of surfactant enhances the vulnerability of paint surfaces to subsequent light/soiling exposure. Equally, it is important to document the consequences of leaving surfactant and soiling on the surface of these relatively soft paint films, as there is a risk that soiling can become permanently embedded into the paint surface.The proposal combines the expertise and knowledge available at the scientific departments at both Tate and the Getty Conservation Institute with the instrumentation and surface analysis expertise available at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science (CEAS) at The University of Manchester University. Our understanding of the vulnerability of these paint surfaces will be enhanced through the scientific technologies and methodologies that will be applied to these paints for the first time. Research results will significantly contribute to determining best practice for the reliable care and conservation of these unique and increasingly valuable modern and contemporary works of art; thereby helping to ensure their survival into the future.