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

艺术家的丙烯酸乳胶漆在20世纪60年代初开始流行，在20世纪50年代中期开始生产之后。今天，丙烯酸涂料与油画颜料一样畅销，丙烯酸乳液艺术品继续在现代和当代艺术收藏中占据重要比例。著名的用户包括大卫霍克尼，安迪沃霍尔，罗伊Lichelman，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胶画开始需要保护处理，因为分散的痕迹，沉积的污垢，表面光泽的丧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膜的表面进行系统的调查，因为这是暴露于光，污垢，污染物，事故，环境，保护处理和迁移的材料变得集中。到目前为止，这些涂料表面上存在的各种材料尚未得到充分表征，迁移的表面活性剂和沉积的污垢之间的相互作用的性质尚未得到探索。还必须确定表面活性剂在光照（显示）下降解的机制和后果，包括降解是否取决于颜料类型，以及表面活性剂（通过保护处理和/或显示）在底层油漆表面上的去除是否有任何后果。例如，必须确定表面活性剂的去除是否会增加油漆表面对后续光/污染暴露的脆弱性。同样，重要的是记录在这些相对柔软的漆膜表面上留下表面活性剂和污垢的后果，因为存在污染可能永久嵌入油漆表面的风险。该提案结合了泰特和盖蒂保护研究所科学部门的专业知识和知识，以及化学部的仪器和表面分析专业知识。工程和分析科学（CEAS）在曼彻斯特大学。通过首次应用于这些涂料的科学技术和方法，我们将加深对这些涂料表面脆弱性的了解。研究结果将大大有助于确定可靠的护理和保护这些独特的和越来越有价值的现代和当代艺术作品的最佳实践，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.