Phase 3: Consolidation

This is the third part of the treatment where I was reconsolidating the loose fabric, basically-sewing. After it's done, the treatment is complete. The only thing left to do is (with my recommendations) decide on an appropriate hanging method.

Here are pictures of the stitch repairs...the first four images are before and after shots:

Phase 2- Wet cleaning..

I got around to doing the wet clean for the Egyptian banner on thanksgiving weekend. It took about 3 1/2 to 4 hours, in the backyard in the sunshine and it was tricky handling it soaking wet and heavy on my own, but I managed. I did two soaks, the first with tap water and the second for longer but with distilled water.
I'm quite happy with the process and the results (the water was yellow so SOMETHING came out, even if the major stains didn't- but I didn't used any detergent. If I had, I may have had more luck. So, next time- Orvus Paste).

Now I can move on to reconsolidating the loose pieces, which will be far more time consuming.






Prepping the distilled water bath with a makeshift frame lined with a polyethylene.

















Banner unrolled onto screen and water added.





































Submersion



















Slightly wet process..





















Bath water after soaking for a half hour.






Towel drying after removing from second soak.

Egyptian Tapestry Project

So this is my first solo conservation treatment outside of school. My family has had this tapestry for generations (it was brought back by my great great uncle from Egypt when he was on military duty) and it's been hanging at my grandmother's cottage in Muskoka in the sunlight for years. It was taken down a few years ago when my aunts renovated and it hasn't been put back since because of the condition. As such, I was asked if I was interested in working on it.



This will essentially be a surface cleaning and stabilization project as I don't have the facilities to do a proper wet cleaning with detergent, but I am going to try to do at least one immersion so the cigarette and other stains in the weave will have a chance to come out.. somewhat. A bit of consolidation of the loose pieces and some couching should make it more stable. It used to be a beautiful colour but years in the sun has really left it faded (go figure) and nothing can be done about that.


It's cotton on a full linen substrate.



Loose strips of fabric and unravelling of linen


























Ripped cotton detail and corrosion stain













General staining (mildew?)












Back of tapestry.















I'll hopefully get more treatment pictures up as work gets underway.

More from Emergency 2011:

Emergency # 18

It's been eons since I've posted anything new, as school has been keeping me busy.. here's some photography.

These are images I took of my friend Jenn Cole performing her piece 'Je Vous Salut Marie' at the Emergency dance festival in Peterborough, ON in April. This is a sister piece to another one she performed of which I also took photographs, two or three festivals ago. If I remember, I'll post these in the near future.
These are just the raw pics. I like the various light gradations and how only parts of her are outlined in some images where in others the light hits straight on. Another set of images from a different dance piece I took from reflections in the plexiglass beside my seat, which actually offered a better perspective and vantage point then from head- on to the stage. These too I'll post at a later date!