Roberto Gil de Montes

Painting by Roberto Gil De Montes, Yo No Soy Monkey, 1991, was brought to our studio in a distressed state due to improper storage conditions. The painting had been stored with packaging material directly contacting its surface. This led to the cardboard adhering to the paint layer, causing significant damage including paint loss and abrasions.

Our initial assessment revealed extensive paint loss and surface abrasions. The priority was to stabilize the existing paint and address the areas where the cardboard had caused the most damage. We developed a meticulous conservation plan to restore the artwork while preserving its original integrity.

The first step involved carefully cleaning the painting to remove any surface dirt and residues from the cardboard. This process required gentle methods to avoid further damage to the delicate paint layer. We stabilized the paint in areas where it was loose or flaking. This involved using appropriate adhesives to secure the paint without altering its appearance. For the areas with significant paint loss, we used reversible color media to inpaint the damaged sections. This step was crucial to blend the repairs seamlessly with the original paint, ensuring that the conservation work would not alter the artwork’s aesthetic value.