This study aimed to isolate and identify the population of filamentous fungi colonizing a cotton painting, whose conservation status was compromised and showed signs of biodeterioration due to dirt accumulation and microbial metabolism. In addition, microbiological techniques such as cultivation-dependent approach and molecular biology were used to identify microbial populations and to eliminate their metabolic action. For this, the nondestructive anoxic atmosphere technique was used, in which the microbial metabolism was affected by the absence of oxygen. Prior to exposure to an anoxic atmosphere, only one fungal species, Aspergillus niger, was identified at 12 points sampled in the obverse and reverse of the artwork; no fungal species persisted as a result of anoxic treatment. These results showed that exposure to anoxic conditions was effective for the total elimination of isolated fungal strains as well as their spores. In conclusion, this study proved the unprecedented effectiveness of a nondestructive technique for artwork on textile colonized by black fungi species. Thus, this interdisciplinary work involving conservation, microbiology, and chemistry presents a tool to eliminate microorganisms, while maintaining the integrity of artwork and safety of the restorer, that can be applied prior to artwork restoration.
This study aims at identifying the populations of filamentous fungi present on a Brazilian contemporary painting, whose conservation status was compromised and showed evident signs of deterioration by microbial action. In addition, to correlate the biodeterioration potential of the isolated fungal strains, cellulolytic activity testing was performed and, finally, the biocide treatment against microbial growth was carried out. A total of nine isolates of filamentous fungi were detected and three distinct taxa were identified: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium citrinum. The detection of the enzymatic activity of the isolates by cellulolytic plate assay revealed the potential of filamentous fungal species in causing the deterioration of paintings. Our results showed that the presence of each strain of filamentous fungi correlated with the distribution of the paint colour, suggesting a tropism of certain species for specific dyes used. In addition, strains of A. niger showed a lower enzymatic activity index, despite the aesthetic damage that this fungal specie caused on the artwork. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the identification of the microbiota obtained from the painting may help contrasting its biodeterioration and it described a successful antifungal treatment on a contemporary art piece. Contemporary art in Brazil arose from postmodernism, through the artistic manifestations included in the Neoconcrete Manifest of 1959, as well as with the use of innovative techniques. It was a consequence of the interaction between concept and language, displayed by the artists on a set of unconventional materials and objects. Despite being a 20th century painting, the concern of the artist to keep the art object in a good conservation state has driven the realization of this work and these microbial prospecting studies, associated with artwork deterioration, may contribute to the preservation of the Brazilian contemporary heritage.
A Conservação Preventiva realizada em exposições temporárias é uma das ações do setor de Conservação e Restauração do Museu de Arte da Pampulha, Belo Horizonte/ MG, para a preservação do acervo artístico institucional e do acervo de terceiros. Colocadas em prática a partir dos anos 1990 essas ações foram ampliadas em 2008, tendo como referência a publicação Conservación preventiva y procedimientos en exposiciones temporales (2008), além de passarem por várias revisões até os dias atuais. Desse modo, objetivamos: abordar as etapas realizadas pela área de Conservação e Restauração em exposições temporárias; relatar sobre o uso desses procedimentos pelo setor de Conservação e Restauração do Museu de Arte da Pampulha; apresentar a aplicação da metodologia publicada pelo Grupo Espanhol do IIC em uma exposição realizada pelo MAP; e, por fim, mostrar o trabalho do conservador-restaurador no percurso de construção de uma exposição, da pré até a pós-produção, passando pelo período expositivo.
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