MUSEO DE ARTE DE PONCE
TREATMENTS
Ponce Museum of Art, Anton J. Konrad Conservation Center, Summer 2018
Before I began my bachelor's at the University of Delaware, I interned at the Ponce Museum of Art in Puerto Rico. I was supervised by senior conservators Lidia Aravena and Angel Santiago. I primary helped in the paintings lab-- where I assisted with the removal of hard adhesive, completed aqueous cleaning on a mixed media painting, and cleaning of a frame in the objects lab.
Photo taken by Lidia Aravena
German Venegas Perez, San Gerónimo, collage on mixed media on linen, 1983, 141 x 180.3 cm.
TREATMENT
The surrealist pop art-like painting of San Geronimo was donated to the Ponce Museum of Art. This painting of mixed media arrived at the Anton J. Konrad Center with high amounts of dust accumulated on the surface.
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The different materials on the paint layer proved to be a challenge for surface cleaning. Glossy, coated sections of the painting were able to be cleaned using a cotton swab dipped in DI water. Matte surfaces with uncoated chalk were carefully cleaned using a brush nozzle vacuum. My assigned section- "G" had mostly glossy surfaces that required careful aqueous cleaning.
SAN GERONIMO: MIXED MEDIA
San Gerónimo Sections
Assigned section: "G"
Close-Up of Section "G"
Under Raking Light
ADHESIVE REMOVAL: UNTITLED PAINTING
Removal of adhesive with scalpel
Photo taken by Lidia Aravena
TREATMENT
In addition to treating San Geronimo, I was tasked with removing hard adhesive off an untitled painting. The verso of the canvas was completely covered in an adhesive that hardened over time. After testing, head conservator Lidia Aravena determined that the best adhesive removal method was to carefully and manually remove it with a small scalpel.
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For effective treatment, I chose one small block to work on each day. I used small scalpels and eye surgery tools to remove the adhesive from between the fibers of the canvas.
