#morellet

Francois Morellet | 3 double trames 0°, 30°, 60°

François Morellet - Two Warps and Wefts of Short Lines 0° 90° - 1955–6 (Tate Modern, London)

Making it this way more like an artist book than a simple exhibition catalogue. This made the book so special that it is arguably the best catalogue ever published with the works by Morellet.

  Since, Morellet is one of the most appreciated and valued artist in the Kinetic and Minimal Art scenes and the catalogue is one which is sought after and collected by many admirers. The catalogue is available at http://www.ftn-books.com:

https://ftn-books.com/products/abbemuseum-francois-morellet-1971-nm

Peeking over the shoulder of Project Paintings Conservator Sharra Grow, you can see one small area of solvent as she works her way across the surface of On a Square 0-90 and a Square 15-105 with a cotton swab. This diptych by François Morellet is undergoing one of the most sensitive tasks in conservation: cleaning. The stakes are especially high because of the painting’s matte white, unvarnished acrylic surface. When it was examined for a loan request, conservators noticed that the pristine presentation was marred by a couple of dirty smudges. Since there was also a fine layer of grime present overall, treatment of the smudges alone might have left these sections brighter than their surroundings – so instead Sharra is evenly removing all of the grime on the surface, along with the smudges.

The cleaning solution is a customized emulsion designed to remove dirt without affecting components of the acrylic paint, such as surfactant that exudes from the paint film over time. The emulsion includes a tiny percentage of water dispersed within a non-active solvent: the water performs the cleaning action on the dirt while the solvent reduces interaction with the painting. After the solvent evaporates, the surface will appear matte white again, now dirt-free.

The difference before and after treatment is subtle, but still essential for a number of reasons. Aesthetically, the crispness of On a Square’s thin black lines on the white field is vital to the artist’s intent, so removing even a thin layer of grayish dirt has an important overall impact. Additionally, dirt is acidic, a trait that can chemically alter a surface. It is also hygroscopic, meaning it collects moisture—which in turn holds even more gray and acidic dirt on the surface. 

After treatment is complete, this diptych will join a a François Morellet exhibition at Dia:Chelsea this fall.