PRIN 2020 - SUPERSTAR "Sustainable Preservation Strategies for Street Art" - Laura Cartechini (DCM.AD009.045)

Thematic area

Chemical sciences and materials technology

Project area

Structure responsible for the research project

Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "Giulio Natta" (SCITEC)

Project manager

LAURA CARTECHINI
Phone number: 0755855645
Email: Laura.Cartechini@cnr.it

Abstract

Visual art in urban contexts consists of both commissioned and often non-commissioned "street art", recognized as a valuable contemporary cultural heritage. The ephemeral character, free access, and exposure to the environment and anthropic actions, make public paintings vulnerable to neglect, removal, vandalism, and degradation. Beyond that, the strategies aimed at their preservation and fruition are rather unclear or lacking. The interdisciplinary project SUPERSTAR will develop innovative guidelines for the preservation strategy of street art, aimed at safeguarding its powerful social and cultural message in the urban context.
The research will build on a detailed knowledge of paint materials and of their degradation processes. The combination of non-invasive and micro-invasive spectroscopic techniques with laboratory mass spectrometric and thermoanalytical methods will shed light on the chemical-physical properties and vulnerability aspects of modern paint materials that constitute street artworks.

Goals

SUPERSTAR project will thus foster a synergistic advancement in paint materials knowledge and in conservation methods, which is not just highly innovative but also timely towards current needs for the management of urban art.
Thanks to the strong collaboration between the partners with complementary expertise and with conservation institutions, the project will provide the following outputs: optimized innovative cleaning procedures for the restoration of outdoor murals and for the removal of vandalistic graffiti; selected protective coating materials with particular attention to durability aspects; and an integrated protocol for long-term sustainable monitoring and conservation. The cooperation between scientists and stakeholders will support institutions and entities engaged in safeguarding public urban art (the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, municipalities, local safeguard offices) to define the future decision-making for the preservation of this living contemporary heritage

Start date of activity

22/03/2022

Keywords

analytical chemistry, materials science, chemistry for conservation of cultural heritage

Last update: 07/06/2025