Conservation Processing of Modern and Contemporary Outdoor Bronze Sculptures

Abstract

‘Pieta’(1980) by Se Choong Kim required scientific analysis and conservation treatment due to long outdoor exhibitions and paint on surface of bronze sculpture. However, there was a concern that the originality of artwork and ‘moral rights of the artist(the right of integrity)’ could be violated by including conservation treatment methods that were inevitably irreversible, such as removing the old layer and re-patination. Accordingly, the brown color that was mainly used during the artist’s lifetime, was selected as the patination color through collaboration with various stakeholders. As a result of analyzing the making technique of ‘Pieta’, it was found that it was cast in Cu-Zn-Sn-Pb quaternary art bronze. The material, methods, and environment at the time of making artwork were confirmed by comparing the result of scientific analysis of welding, repair, and defects with inerviews with casting engineers. The paint painted on the surface of the bronze sculpture was confirmed as painted twice with metalic paint mixed with polystyrene and copper powder and graphite-based paint. Laser cleaning was applied after a preliminary experiments to stably remove paint, and 95% of the paint layer area was uniformly removed as a result of comparing and analyzing the volume before and after removal through 3D scanning. Brown patina was applied through patination then wax coating to finish.