ABSTRACT
Working with contemporary art could be very challenging, both for restorer and for conservation scientists, considering the consistent variability of the materials used by artists. In this paper, we present two examples of Italian contemporary artworks as paradigms of this variability of materials and techniques. To perform the best conservation intervention possible, it is mandatory to deeply study how was the artwork realized, moreover considering the short lifespan of modern materials like synthetic polymers. The artworks, coming from the “Scuola di Restauro ENAIP Botticino” (Brescia, Italy), were restored in 2018. To better understand the specific features of each artwork and the different degradation patterns we chose to apply a simple analytical approach. After a preliminary observation via optical microscopy, the samples were analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy, to characterize the organic components. Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) was useful to study the inorganic fractions and the structural morphology.
