Current technical challenges in the conservation of paintings

As artists have increasingly utilised modern materials and techniques, it has presented the conservator with a host of new and complex problems that need to be addressed. As such, this is a subject of great interest to conservators, many of whom had expressed an interest in an event that could supplement their existing knowledge in this field. In response to this, the Institute of Conservation's Paintings Group decided that this would be an appropriate theme for a conference that could provide a platform for contributors to disseminate their research on a number of topics relating to the conservation of contemporary artworks. In addition, a call was put out for contributors who might be developing new and innovative techniques and materials to address conservation problems, or who might be utilising well-known materials that are already in the conservator's toolkit in a new capacity. The papers in this volume were presented at the Paintings Group's conference 'Modern Conservation: What's New?' held at The Wallace Collection in London in October 2014. It covered a variety of topics including: consolidants and flake laying; the possible use of sports injury tape as a temporary means of support during structural conservation treatments; rigid inserts to stretchers to reduce vibrations; auxiliary supports for modern paintings; the problem of softening and weeping paints in modern works of art and methods of treatment; wet surface cleaning treatments for contemporary paintings; and ethical considerations when dealing with conceptual artists' wishes.