Oil painting tackiness

We have received a oil painting painted directly onto powder coated
enamel stainless steel support which is a couple of years old and
has been sold to purchaser.  There has been a problem with the paint
and varnish layer remaining tacky, causing a Tyvek wrapping layer
used to protect the painting in transit to adhere at numerous points
across the painting, and leaving both deeply embedded and adhered
fibres and an embossed impression of the Tyvek surface pattern
across the painting.

The artist tells me he used only proprietary Mars Black oil paint,
with gel and glaze medium, and then varnished with a retouch
varnish. I believe that the varnish has caused the tackiness, but
am not sure.

Due to the newness of the paint and its thin application I would be
reluctant to remove this new varnish, however am not sure how to
address the tackiness, or to treat it at all.  I would expect that
the tackiness will cause a long term dirt pick up which will be both
unsightly and unacceptable.

There are several other options I am considering, such as applying
thin spray layer of MS2A or Paraloid B 72 varnish to even out the
surface again.  But, I am concerned that the non drying tacky layer
below may then create drying cracks.

Does anyone have any other ideas about an approach I might take with
this picture?

Caroline Fry
Painting Conservator
The Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation
UoM Commercial Ltd
99 Shiel Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051
+61 3 9348 5700
Fax: +61 3 9348 5656


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:27
                 Distributed: Friday, December 5, 2014
                       Message Id: cdl-28-27-010
                                  ***