UV protection for art installation

Devorah Sperber <devorahsperber [at] earthlink__net> writes

>My work will be installed in a train station (non climate controlled
>with heat, humidity, salt air, and dust). My medium will be 80,000
>spools of Coats and Clark thread. I need to find a product to spray
>on or brush on the thread, which will provide UV protection and make
>it possible to clean the thread periodically for a minimum of 10
>years. The thread is cotton covered polyester spun onto plastic
>cores. Ideally I'd like to find a coating with a satin finish  as
>close as possible to the satin finish of the original thread.

I believe the answer to this question is that the artist needs to
engage a professional conservator to properly research the issues of
preservation and display she raises and advise her.  Perhaps someone
on the list who is experienced and qualified and works in the NYC
area might like to contact her and offer their professional
services.

    **** Moderator's comments: While this is good advice--indeed an
    artist/conservator collaboration makes a lot of sense here (I've
    referred the querier to the AIC Guide to Conservation Services),
    it need not preclude discussion here. This seems an intriguing
    query, responses to which would be of interest to quite a few of
    us.

Tom Dixon
Melbourne Australia


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:25
                Distributed: Wednesday, August 27, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-17-25-005
                                  ***