Abstract
As the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington DC celebrates its thirtieth year, it has inaugurated a museum-wide project designed to re-present the depth and range of the permanent collection. Included in this project is an installation devoted to the ethical and practical considerations that conservators must bear in mind in preserving modern and contemporary works of art. The installation features Fishman (1968), a life-size cast in latex by the artist Paul Thek, that has begun to degrade rapidly. Fishman was chosen as the centerpiece of the exhibition because it embodies many of the concerns conservators face in the treatment of modern and contemporary art: inherent vice, limited treatment options, evaluation of the artist’s intent, technical examination, and maintaining a balance between the added value of age and the original aesthetic. This paper discusses the technical and art historical analysis of Fishman to determine materials, construction, degradation, and possible restoration techniques.
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