This area was seen as a gap in the field of conservation, but also posed unique challenges when considering the intention of the artist and the physical aging that his or her materials might endure.
According to Thomas F. Reese, "Conservators...must enter into the critical spirit of the works themselves if they are to save and transmit not merely decontextualized fragments but their essence to the future.
"[1] This program consists of various individual research projects that are looking to the conservation issue surrounding modern paints, plastics, and outdoor sculpture, among other areas as well.
[7] In 2004, Thomas Learner, a senior conservation scientist at the Tate, London, published the findings of his research into the types of techniques currently being used to test and learn more about the synthetic resins and materials used in many modern commercial paints.
It also aims to assist them with determining the best storage and display conditions, and also contribute significantly to the development of safe and effective cleaning methods and other treatments.
The main challenge here, despite the fact that almost all of the materials used are completely new, is keeping track of the huge amount of variation between paints and their physical makeups.
Like the analysis of the environment responses, this area of focus consists of analytical testing to monitor any potential changes that could occur with cleaning treatments.
Research is required in this area because while degradation of plastics has been an ongoing issue in museums for several years, the main cause for concern is the rapid deterioration o the material with no obvious warning sign.
Its aim is to coordinate scientific studies with the projects multiple collaborators to establish recommended practices for risks associated with handling these artifacts.
Collaborators on the project took a step back and looked at current interests, needs, and practices in the conservation of modern and contemporary outdoor painted sculpture.
This proves to be an issue when the sculpture is repainted an incorrect color or finish, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and the work is changed from its originally intended appearance.
For this reason, documenting the original paint source for a contemporary outdoor sculpture is considered a main area of focus of this project - this would give the conservators something to refer back to before conducting any further treatments.
While focusing on learning about the behaviors of new materials, specifically polymers, resins, plastics, modern paints, etc., the GCI has also considered how to best share its discoveries with conservators working in the field.