New insight on the oxidative degradation in materials used by Piero Gilardi in two second generation Nature Carpets: A micro-invasive spectroscopic approach

Abstract

Abstract Nature Carpets are installations realized by Piero Gilardi using expanded polyurethane, cut, shaped, and painted with vibrant colors in order to portrait natural sceneries. Their intrinsic mixed media nature often exposes them to fast degradation. While it is well known how Nature Carpets are realized using expanded poly(ether urethane), material particularly prone to fast oxidative degradation, the chemical composition of the paint often remains unknown. Furthermore, it has been reported how the artist changed his working technique during the years, in order to increase the life-span of his artworks. Since the paint layer protects the internal expanded foam core, for conservation purposes it is extremely important to know its composition. This study presents analytical results on the materials used in two Nature Carpets: La Grotta (1981, restored in 1989) and Scoglio Sonoro Interattivo (1997), focusing in particular on the paint layer composition. A micro-spectroscopic approach was chosen to obtain as much information as possible from minimal sampling, in order not to damage the artworks.