Symposium on conservation of synthetic materials

2nd Symposium on conservation of synthetic materials
Vitra Design Museum
Weil am Rhein
November 26-27, 2003

Polyester: A synthetic considered from many facets

As part of the "AXA Art Conservation Project in cooperation with the
Vitra Design Museum", the Vitra Design Museum is holding the second
symposium on conservation of synthetic materials from November
26-27, 2003. The topics addressed at the first symposium included a
general survey of the synthetics utilised in industrial furniture
design as well as an assessment of current options for restoring and
conserving these modern materials. The second symposium will
concentrate on the material group of polyesters, considered from a
range of perspectives. The initial investigations are focusing on
two objects: a prototype of the "Panton Chair", Verner Panton, 1968,
wholly executed in fibreglass-reinforced polyester, and the chair
shell of a prototype from Charles and Ray Eames, 1968, polyester.

The term "polyester" covers a great variety of materials used for a
diverse range of applications: linear thermoplastic polyesters are
processed into fibres, continuous filaments and films. Lacquers are
produced from alkyd resins and branched and cross-linked polyesters.
A further major group is constituted by the unsaturated polyesters,
which are dissolved in a cross-linked monomer and employed as
casting resin or as fibreglass-reinforced plastic, just to name some
of the most important areas of application.

Since the 1930s, polyester has been industrially manufactured and
processed. The fields of application, the various compositions of
the material and the manufacturing technologies have continually
evolved and been further developed over the decades. For over a
generation, the material has also been held in major collections in
the form of art and cultural assets, put on exhibit and loaned out
and, over the years, has begun to show highly individual,
material-specific signs of age and damage.

The objective of the symposium is to present the problems resulting
from these signs of age and damage, to exchange the different
experiences, interests and demands placed on the material from the
perspective of industry, manufacturers, designers and conservators
and to discuss restoration and conservation measures. Participants
are invited to present case studies that have been treated or their
treatments cause problems.

The participation fee of 75 euros covers daily symposium materials
and concluding documentation, as well as 2x lunch and refreshments.

Information and registration:

    Alexa Tepen
    Vitra Design Museum
    +49 7621 702 3153
    alexa.tepen [at] design-museum__de

Kathrin Kessler
Conservator
AXA Art Conservation Project in Cooperation
with the Vitra Design Museum
Vitra Design Stiftung gGmbH
Charles-Eames-Strasse 1
79576 Weil am Rhein
Germany
+49 7621 702 3182
Fax: +49 7621 702 4182


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:32
                  Distributed: Monday, October 6, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-17-32-015
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