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Project

The Loss of Original Experience due to Ageing in Color Field Painting: Towards an Interdisciplinary Reconstruction of Art Method (IRECONA)

The extent of the visual degradation in Color Field paintings, due to the ageing of (synthetic) materials has been largely overlooked. Since the relevance and meaning of Color Field paintings strongly depend on their specific visual effects, significant visual alterations often imply a loss of the original intentions of the artists. This project wants to thematise the ageing problem in art history and develop a new extensive reconstruction method to better conserve Color Field paintings. Three case studies selected from three categories (a. pigment-, b. medium- and c. carrier degradation) will be investigated through the following steps: (I) descriptive reconstruction, which consists of statements by the artist on the intended visual experiences and writings from the public about their experiences, based on literature and archival studies; (II) material analysis; (III) visual reconstruction: through the creation of hand-painted replicas and through a digital reconstruction with augmented reality; (IV) perception studies (eye-tracking and questionnaires) to examine the public's experience of the change in the artwork's appearance. Based on the data analyses, the degree of visual change will be determined and the digital reconstruction will be evaluated.

Date:1 Oct 2022 →  Today
Keywords:color field painting, interdisciplinary reconstruction of art method, ageing appearances
Disciplines:Sensory processes and perception, Research methods and experimental design, History of art, Historical materials and production methods