Identification and stability of colorants used in 20th/21st century inks in archive documents, prints, and caricatures | Dubravka Jembrih-Simbürger, Teodora Raicu

The presentation provides an overview of the project in general and its importance for museums and archives, introduces the objects studied, and discusses the project's aims and challenges. We focus on analytical studies and results, which are illustrated and discussed using selected examples.

In cooperation with the State Collections of Lower Austria, synthetic organic colorants from original drawing inks used by renowned Austrian caricaturists, E. Sokol and M. Deix were studied. Original liquid inks were used to produce ink mock-ups on paper (test samples). For investigation of colorants aging properties, mock-ups were exposed to different lighting conditions (museum, microfading testing). In addition, tiny real samples were taken from caricatures and written notes (ballpoint or felt-tip pen ink) on manuscripts (Austrian National Library) by various Austrian authors. All samples were analysed with laboratory and accelerator-based analytical methods. The non-invasive identification of colorants in screen prints from the museum of contemporary art (msu) Zagreb completed our research.

about the project

Identification, stability and ageing phenomena of colorants used in modern inks in archive documents, prints, caricatures and other written heritage objects

Institute for Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts | OeAD Scientific & Technological Cooperation Austria – Croatia (HR13/2024)

01/2024–12/2025

Dubravka Jembrih-Simbürger 

Teodora Raicu

The project addresses the analysis and fading of modern colorants in printing and drawing inks, but also in various other paints or inks (e.g. ballpoint pens, felt-tips) from the 20th/21st century.

Such inks were used e.g. by artists, such as Manfred Deix and Erich Sokol in their caricatures and drawings, but also by literary authors for their own notes on typewritten manuscripts. The high light sensitivity of some colorants sometimes makes it impossible for museums, archives, etc. to exhibit certain objects. Identification of the problematic colorants is very important for conservators and curators for making appropriate decisions regarding display and storage of literary works.

The aim of the project is therefore to develop an analytical approach for identifying and characterizing the stability/aging phenomena of colorants used in modern inks through direct analysis of micro-samples and non-invasive analysis of the objects or documents themselves.

Project partners

The State Collections of Lower Austria (LSNÖ, St. Pölten) – E. Weixelbaumer

Austrian National Library, Literary Archive – C. Hofmann

Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia – M. Pavić

Interdisciplinary Puppetry Modules for Art Universities (IPMAU) | Andreas Moritz, Ruby Sircar, Christoph Urwalek

After very successfully hosting two Basic and Focus Modules, at three universities the project has created a very fruitful exchange of knowledge and practices. The students involved in the project exceeded our expectations, taking their first basic steps and going beyond them. Topics ranged from democracy to anarchy. They hosted their own exchange puppet workshops and included knowledge from indigenous partners, ranging from Europe to contemporary forms of resistance and history education in East Asia. Non-European queer students were enabled to use their strong voices from which they had previously shied away or which they had to learn existed. The workshops became a form of self-empowerment. The question is where do we take the project from here within the academy? How to gain funding and continue teaching artistic techniques and policies of resistance, as we are already in the planning phase for a follow up project.

about the project

Interdisciplinary Puppetry Modules for Art Universities (IPMAU)

Institute for Fine Arts | European Union, OeAD Erasmus+ Key Action 2 Strategic Partnerships

10/2023–03/2026

Ruby Sircar, Andreas Moritz (Figurentheater Lilarum)
Christoph Urwalek

Pilot project for a modular, transdisciplinary and contemporary puppet theater training for art students. Aiming to open up art universities to the art form and the art form to transnational impulses at the intersections of performing and fine arts. Through mutual learning experiences of students, teachers and artists, the university and artistic exchange will be intensified and a dense network will be established, which will serve as a basis for the further development of the model. Further the art form is to enhance new possibilities in strengthening an understanding for how powerful story telling in the arts is and how to use this to enable and empower democratic social movements through artistic interventions which vary from art forms limited to gallery and museum spaces. Puppets and animated objects allow artists and art educators to explore and understand the importance of using artistic languages to clearly define subject-object-relations as basic needs to establish a common everyday.

Weblink

https://www.lilarum.at/ipmau-en.html

Project partners

Magyar Képzömüvészeti Egyetem
Interplay Hungary Egyesület
Sveuciliste Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku