FEATURES
For many years now, private and corporate Collecting contemporary art is a great
investors have realised that investing in
art can be very profitable and enjoyable.
Collecting contemporary art is a great
way to add a new chapter to an existing
investment portfolio. Buying modern
Collecting
art can also immediately enhance your
living and working environment, having
an artwork on display, at home or in the
Sculptures
office can demonstrate taste, style and
power. Depending on the understanding
of the artwork and the artist, the piece can
express a company’s ethics and mission.
and Their
A background check of the artist and his
oeuvre is therefore of different importance
for home and office.
Maintenance
Well known artists such as Rodin, Moor
and Giacometti, are like blue chip stocks.
One of the most important Giacometti
works L’Homme Qui Marche recently
Text: Dr. Robert B. Faltermeier
fetched 65 million pounds in an auction in
London. This blue-chip-art is limited and
appreciates better in a poorer market, than
lesser-known artists. However, the price
tags are vastly higher. To collect masters,
you do need specialised knowledge of the
art market and the artist. These exceptional
artists have already proven their investment
quality and are an encouragement to go
out and find the next great masters. It is
important to diversify the collection and it
is always a good idea to include emerging
regional artists, these will add bulk to your
collection and there is always the potential
of an artist to be discovered and really to
take off. Imagine for a moment you were
one of the few who started buying an early
Picasso.
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MAINTENANCE OF SCULPTURES
way to start collecting or to add new life
into an established collection. To make
an informed choice of artist or material to
buy, visit galleries, discuss the pieces with
the artist whenever possible. Research the
artist by reading articles in magazines,
books and the Internet. Look at the artist’s
longevity; an artist might have only one
big show and then disappear from view
forever. Therefore his exhibition record
becomes very important. See if the shows
are only local or regional, or if the artist
has been exposed to an international
clientele. This will quickly reveal if an
artist has been hyped by museums or
galleries and this might be an indicator for
quality an acceptance of pieces.
When buying modern sculptures, it is
important to see if the new artist has
understood the material he is working in.
Be it stone, bronze or modern materials.
Stone is one of the most resilient materials;
the reoccurring maintenance costs such,
as cleaning and conservation are low.
When buying a bronze for indoor or
outdoor display, the patina has to be in
pristine conditions and the sculpture needs
regular attention, since bronze corrodes
easily in an urban environment. Modern
materials such as plastics are generally a
difficult genre, since many modern resins
can deteriorate rapidly when exposed to
high light and temperature levels, as they
are typical in tropical region. It is always
good when investing in contemporary art
to have the assistance of an independent
experienced conservator, familiar with the
material and the subject.
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FEATURES
Some legal aspects, a collector of modern and
contemporary art, has to understand the copyright laws
of the respective country. When buying a piece of art, the
transfer of all copyrights should be contained with in a
sails contract. The buyer has to ensure that the transfer
is legally binding. This might be necessary in case of
publication, conservation or future sail of the artwork
in question, and might determine the final value. The
contract should also indicate the authenticity, history and
provenance as detailed as possible.
The maintenance of Outdoor Sculptures is necessary
to keep its intrinsic and monetary value. The least
maintenance is needed for stone sculptures. Regular
cleaning and condition checking will keep them in
good shape.
Even as a bronze sculpture leaves the foundry, its
surface is under attack. Corrosion is due to the
interaction between a metal and its environment. The
rate, at which a bronze sculpture corrodes, depends
on its environment. In a tropical urban climate, this
corrosion can occur and progress rapidly. This is
mainly due to the high humidity and temperature,
but also air pollutants. Both formic and acetic acids
are major organic acids contributing to the acidity of
rain. These acids readily attack and dissolve patinas,
resulting in patchy and streaky surfaces.
A bronze, containing chloride corrosion, due to the
previous exposure to a chloride environment, can still
corrode in an indoor environment. These chlorides
can be due to burial, as in the case of archaeological
bronzes, or in contemporary bronze sculptures due
to airborne salts, handling and others. This chloride
corrosion can
be indicated as light green to turquoise spots, powdery
or solid in texture, or even as a light green liquid
when exposed to high humidity.
It’s an urban legend that exposure to air-conditioning
will halt this chloride corrosion completely. Only
20 // CONFABULATION
if a good dehumidifying system is used,
can the relative humidity be reduced to
deactivate corrosion or an other option
is the metal sculpture is coated with a
synthetic material to prevent humidity
attacking its surface. However; a low
humidity level in turn will affect wooden
sculptures, textiles and other organic
materials and cause them to shrink
and crack. Display cases are therefore
recommended for mixed collections of
high value.
When it comes to cleaning sculptures,
make sure that no commercial cleaner is
used. They can contain ammonia and other
additives, which stain and rapidly deteriorate
the surface. When dusting an indoor
sculpture, it is best to use a very soft, clean
and dry brush to dust the surface and make
sure the metal sleeve around the bristles does
not scratch the surface.
Sculptures made from polyester or epoxy are
best shown in an indoor environment. Coated
glass-fibre sculptures deteriorate rapidly in
a tropic environment. The high humidity
temperature and light levels have devastating
effects on its structural integrity.
Do not place sculptures directly on soil
if not absolutely necessary since the
moist ground accelerates deterioration.
Place sculpture on a plane stone surface
preferably marble or granite above the
grass line. There should be no grass line
around the sculptures since trimming with
scissors, trimmers or cutters will scratch
the surface. Be aware of animals such as
cats and dogs that might use the sculpture
as a marker, animal secretions can cause
corrosion of the surface.
MAINTENANCE OF SCULPTURES
Sculptures should no be placed under
trees, bird and other animal droppings are
very aggressive. Positioning a sculpture
in well aerated area allows the surface
to dry faster, minimising deterioration.
It is not advisable to position a sculpture
near a high traffic road, the pollution and
the vibration increases deterioration and
cracking. Outdoor sculptures should be
washed once a month from top to bottom.
If the surface is clean, moisture can dry up
very quickly, however if there is a layer of
dirt it will stay moist longer and initiate
deterioration. To wash a sculpture it is best
to use filtered tap water. The carbon filter
will filter out most of the chlorine and
fluorine and metal particles if present. A
clean flannel or sponge is needed. Should
the sponge or flannel fall to the ground or
be used on very dirty, gritty areas, it needs
to be replaced or very very thoroughly
washed. Regular cleaning solutions should
not be used.
Every 6 months the sculpture should be
washed thoroughly inspected and waxed
with a neutral microcrystalline wax that
is suitable for the climate what works
in a European climate is not necessarily
applicable in a tropical climate.
For a good management of a sculpture, it
is recommended that every 6 to 12 months
a professionally trained conservator should
inspect the surface for flaws and damage, and
clean the sculpture and reapply a sacrificial
protective coating. The condition check
ensures that the estimated 5-10% increase in
value per year is not jeopardised. //
MARCH 2010 // 21