Jayashree Bhat of Benaka Art Conservation offers some useful tips for protecting your precious artworks from tropical elements.
TF: What are the steps for protecting valuable artworks in the tropics?
BAC: The root causes of tropical problems are inadequate or incorrect framing, light and relative humidity (RH).
Inadequate framing The most important step in preserving valuable art is to have it framed correctly.
- Commercial framing often uses acidic materials that are harmful to delicate artworks. Even if your piece of art is made of a good quality material, acidic backing boards can introduce or increase the pH levels of paper.
- It’s always wise to opt for Conservation Framing. This incorporates special, tailor-made techniques, acid-free materials and different mounting and hinging techniques, using non-acidic and reversible adhesives.
- Use UV-buffered acrylic glazing instead of ordinary glass.
Light
- Exposure to light should be minimal. The recommended Lux – unit of luminance – for paper-based artworks is 30 Lux. For oil paintings on canvas, around 100 Lux is ideal.
- Always position pieces within reflective light – rather than direct light.
Relative Humidity (RH)
To avoid temperature fluctuations, round-the-clock air conditioning is best. Do not switch the air conditioner on and off, as this can worsen the problem.
- RH between 45 to 60 percent is ideal for avoiding fungal growth.
- If you notice significant fluctuation in the RH of your home, invest in a dehumidifier.
TF: What about an artwork that already requires restoration?
BAC: If you think the painting has a problem or you want to find out more about its condition, always contact an art conservator. But important rules are:
- Save any pieces that have fallen off – however small. Keep them safely in a bag or envelope, as they can nearly always be placed back on the main artwork.
- Don’t attempt any repair or cleaning yourself. This is a skilled process and should only be carried out by a fully-qualified conservator.
- Isolate any mouldy or damp artworks from rest of the collection. Don’t try to rub or scrape the mould using cloth or other materials – this could lead to more adverse effects.
Services offered by Benaka Art Conservation
- Assessment of the condition of artworks and recommendations for the management of a collection.
- Advice on the lighting and hanging of artworks.
- Recommendations on preparing artworks for transport.
- Assess the environmental conditions in which your paintings are hung.
- Condition reports in preparation for treatment proposals and technical analysis to inform of appropriate conservation treatments.
- Treatments, including: cleaning, anti- fungal treatment, removal of foxing marks, repair of cuts, tears and holes, amongst others.
Benaka Art Conservation 64 Taman Warna, Chip Bee Gardens, Holland Village. Tel: 6100 2707, www.benakaartconservation.com.
Read this before you reach for your chequebook…
Art isn’t something you can categorise or list in a directory, so hard and fast guidelines for what constitutes a “good buy” can never apply. But the first rule of thumb is to make sure the artwork you’ve chosen speaks to you on some level. As Chris Churcher of Red Sea Gallery advises, “Buying a piece of art is your one-off chance to acquire something truly unique – and who knows, it could be a part of society’s future history or heritage. Art is a personal choice and a personal journey. If you’re nervous about your purchase then make sure you’re dealing with an artist or a reputable gallery of high recognition. Get to know the person you’re dealing with and ask these questions:
- Do they work directly with the artist? And do more than just “take” from the artist?
- Do they have a passion for art themselves?
- Do they really know what they’re talking about?
The best way to make up your mind is once you’ve fallen in love with a piece of art, leave the gallery. If you forget about it after 15 minutes then it wasn’t for you. But if it’s constantly on your mind then go back, get out your chequebook and buy it before somebody else does! After all, if you’re buying an original work, there’s only one of them in the world.”
Red Sea Gallery Block 9 Dempsey Road, #01-10 Dempsey Hill. Tel: 6732 6177, www.redseagallery.com.
Do you have a Singapore Secret you’d like to share? Send details (700 words) plus images to mjones-white@acpmagazines.com.sg and you could be published in an upcoming issue of The Finder!
Posted on Oct 07
