Flower model
This particular conservation was of a botanical model used in Rebecca Chesney’s exhibition Death Equals all Things. This model of yew tree flowers is made from a combination of wood, paint, plaster, and papier mache.
After years of being stored and used as a teaching aid the model was very dirty with a few cracks. The green bud, made from plaster, was chipped and cracked at the top.
The top of the green bud was so unstable that moving it could have dislodged small pieces of the plaster making the existing damage worse. The surface dirt changed the colour of the object making it harder to interpret.
The descision was therefore taken to conserve the object, cleaning the whole model and stabilising the damaged area.
Phase 1 cleaning:
A number of cleaning techniques were tested to remove the slightly sticky grey dirt from the surface of the plant model including water, saliva, smoke and the most effective was using a natural rubber eraser to rub away the dirt.
The eraser was cut into delicate strips to prevent excessive pressure being applied to the surface, this technique had the added benefit of being able to cut the cleaning tool to the shape required to fit into all the gaps between the flowers.
Once the dirt had been removed soft brushes and an air puffer were used to remove the eraser debris from the surface of the model.
Phase 2 stabilisation:
The top of the green bud was extremely fragile and required stabilisation before it could be cleaned.
The loose pieces of plaster were stuck back into place with an Acrylic adhesive (Paraloid B72) and left to dry. Once dry the top of the bud was cleaned in the same way as the rest of the model. (see pic during bud 1).
Phase 3 reconstruction:
The top of the bud was so cracked that you could not clearly see the dent on the top so it was decided to reconstruct the missing areas to make it easier to interpret.
One of the main principles of modern conservation is that where possible the techniques should be reversible, for this reason paper pulp in starch paste was used to fill the missing areas. If at anytime the someone decided they did not like the fill it could easily be removed from the plaster without further damage.Very fine tissue paper was used to create a smooth surface over the filled area.
Once the fill had dried, after a couple of hours, the reconstructed top of the bud could be painted to match the rest of the model (see pic During bud 3). Acrylic paints were used with the final coat mixed with a little of the Paraloid B72 adhesive to create shine. The finished bud is a slightly different tone to the original paintwork to show that it has been conserved, the dent in the top of the bud can now clearly be distinguished. (see pic After Bud).
The conservation work is complete!
