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White Spots on Smoke Rings by Bruce Nauman: A Case Study On Contemporary Art Conservation Using Microanalytical Techniques

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2014

Ana Cardeira Mafalda ,
Rodrigo Bettencourt da Câmara ,
Patrick Strzelec ,
Nick Schiavon ,
José Mirão ,
António Candeias ,
Maria Luísa Carvalho  and
Marta Manso
Ana Cardeira Mafalda
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Belas-Artes, da Universidade de Lisboa, Largo da Academia Nacional de Belas-Artes, 1249-058 Lisboa, Portugal Centro de Física Atómica, da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto 2, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
Rodrigo Bettencourt da Câmara
Affiliation:
Centro de Física Atómica, da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto 2, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
Patrick Strzelec
Affiliation:
Mason Gross School of the Arts of the University of Rutgers, 330 Livingston Ave, 08901-8554 New Brunswick, USA
Nick Schiavon
Affiliation:
Laboratório HERCULES, Universidade de Évora, Largo Marquês de Marialva 8, 7000 Évora, Portugal
José Mirão
Affiliation:
Laboratório HERCULES, Universidade de Évora, Largo Marquês de Marialva 8, 7000 Évora, Portugal
António Candeias
Affiliation:
Laboratório HERCULES, Universidade de Évora, Largo Marquês de Marialva 8, 7000 Évora, Portugal Laboratório José de Figueiredo, Direcção Geral do Património Cultural, Rua das Janelas Verdes 37, 1249-018 Lisboa, Portugal
Maria Luísa Carvalho
Affiliation:
Centro de Física Atómica, da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto 2, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Marta Manso*
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Belas-Artes, da Universidade de Lisboa, Largo da Academia Nacional de Belas-Artes, 1249-058 Lisboa, Portugal Centro de Física Atómica, da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto 2, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
*
*Corresponding author. marta974@cii.fc.ul.pt
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Abstract

The artwork “Smoke Rings: Two Concentric Tunnels, Non-Communicating” by Bruce Nauman represents a case study of corrosion of a black patina-coated Al-alloy contemporary artwork. The main concern over this artwork was the widespread presence of white spots on its surface. Alloy substrate, patina, and white spots were characterized by means of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Alloy substrate was identified as an aluminum alloy 6,000 series Al–Si–Mg. Patina’s identified composition confirmed the documentation provided by the atelier. Concerning the white spots, zircon particles were found on patina surface as external elements.

Keywords

Bruce Naumancontemporary artworkEDXRFSEM-EDSmicro-XRD
Type
SPMicros Special Section
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , February 2015 , pp. 15 - 19
Copyright
© Microscopy Society of America 2014 

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