Acknowledgments 7 Introduction 9 1. Challenges of conservation of contemporary food-based art 9 2. Research context and method 12 2.1. Definitions and terminology 12 2.2. Research context and case studies 14 3. Objectives 17 4. Outline of the PhD research 19 4.1. PART 1: Creating context for conservation and the significance of food-based art in the 20th century 19 4.2. PART 2 : Preservation of food-based art and food preservation techniques: Degradation processes and potential solutions 21 4.3. PART 3: Art & Food: translation to conservation practice 21 4.4. PART 4: General discussion and conclusion: The role of science in the conservation and presentation of contemporary food- based art 22 PART I: CREATING CONTEXT FOR CONSERVATION AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FOOD-BASED ART IN THE 20TH CENTURY 25 Chapter 1. Conservation practices for modern and contemporary art 25 1.1. The role of science: traditional conservation versus contemporary art conservation 25 1 1.2. Approaches and decisions in the conservation of contemporary art 29 1.2.1. Authentic meaning and artist intention 29 1.2.2. The changing role of the conservator 32 Chapter 2. Framing food in an art historical context 37 2.1. Introduction of food materials and the study of materials in contemporary art 37 2.2. Eat art outside the museum 44 2.3. Eat art in the centre of museum activities 49 2.3.1. Eat art exhibitions 49 2.3.1.1 Documentation on display 49 2.3.1.2 ‘Real’ food-based art on display 52 2.3.2. Collecting food-based art 56 Chapter 3. Framing food in the context of conservation 65 3.1. Exposing conservation 65 3.2. Conservation research and practices on food-based art 68 3.3. Categorizing food-based art 76 3.4. Preservation and documentation of change 81 PART 2: PRESERVATION OF FOOD- BASED ART AND FOOD PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES: DEGRADATION PROCESSES AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS 85 Chapter 4. Degradation processes, intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of food-based art 85 4.1. Conservation science of traditional artist materials versus modern and contemporary materials 85 2 4.2. Degradation processes of food 87 4.3. Intrinsic parameters of food 90 4.4. Extrinsic parameters of food 95 4.5. Contextual framework of food degradation in the food industry versus food degradation in food-based art: Interaction of various parallel degradation processes. 99 4.6. Preservation requirements for food-based art 100 Chapter 5. Preservation Techniques from the agro-food industry: Implementation possibilities and limitations 103 5.1. Microbial aspects of food preservation 103 5.2. Chemical preservation 103 5.2.1. Gas based preserving techniques 106 5.2.2. Vacuum packaging (VP) 110 5.2.3. Active and Intelligent packaging 111 5.3. Thermal preservation 113 5.4. Physical preservation 114 5.4.1. Dehydration 115 5.4.2. Pasteurization and other heat treatments 115 5.4.3. Use of radiation 115 5.5. Hurdle technology and combination approach applied to food-based art 117 PART 3: ART & FOOD: TRANSLATION TO CONSERVATION PRACTICE 119 Chapter 6: Experimental study: Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) and irradiation: 3 case studies 119 6.1. Packaging designs, experimental data and instrumentation 119 6.1.1. Packaging designs and accelerated ageing 119 3 6.1.2. Determination of the visual and sensory quality 121 6.1.3. Determination of the microbial counts 122 6.2. Joseph Beuys: Butter and beeswax, basic material 4bis (1975, S.M.A.K.) 123 6.2.1. Creating context for conservation 123 6.2.2. Deterioration processes and condition of the different parts of the work: packed butter and beeswax 127 6.2.3. Conservation by S.M.A.K. 129 6.2.4. Proposition for preservation and experimental study : Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP): 100% N2 130 6.2.5. Results and discussion: visual and sensory decay 131 6.3. Peter De Cupere: Eggs (1997, S.M.A.K.) 133 6.3.1. Creating context for conservation 133 6.3.2. Deterioration processes and condition of the different parts of the work: raw eggs, baked chicken skin, threads and metal basket 135 6.3.3. Conservation by S.M.A.K. 137 6.3.4. Proposition for preservation and experimental study: Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP): 50% N2 and 50 % CO2 and irradiation 137 6.3.5. Results and discussion 138 6.3.5.1 Preliminary experiment 138 6.3.5.2 Visual and sensory decay 139 6.3.5.3 Microbial counts 140 6.4. Zoe Leonard: Strange Fruit (for David) (1993-1998, Philadelphia Museum of Art) 142 6.4.1. Creating context for conservation 142 6.4.2. Deterioration processes and condition of the different parts of the work: fruit peels and threads 145 6.4.3. Conservation by the Philadeplhia Museum of Art 146 6.4.4. Proposition for preservation and experimental study: Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP): 100% N2 147 6.4.5. Results and discussion: visual and sensory decay 148 4 Chapter 7: Museum research and the role of food preservation science: 4 case studies 151 7.1. Museum practices, problems and potential solutions for the presentation and conservation of food-based art: 2 theoretical case studies 151 7.1.1. René Heyvaert: Untitled (1982, M HKA) 151 7.1.1.1 Creating context for conservation 151 7.1.1.2 Deterioration processes of the food: bread rolls 153 7.1.1.3 Conservation issues and museum practices 155 7.1.1.4 Potential solution and the role of food preservation 158 7.1.2. Jason Rhoades: P.I.G. (1994, S.M.A.K.) 160 7.1.2.1 Creating context for conservation 160 7.1.2.2 Deterioration processes and condition of the fries 164 7.1.2.3 Conservation issues and museum practices 166 7.1.2.4 Potential solutions and the role of food preservation 169 7.2. Museum practices, problems and application of food preservation techniques: 2 practical case studies 173 7.2.1. Joseph Beuys: Wirtshaftswerte (1980, S.MA.K.) 173 7.2.1.1 Creating context for conservation 173 7.2.1.2 Deterioration processes and condition of the food 176 7.2.1.3 Conservation issues and museum practices: application of the food preservation technique MAP (100%N2) 178 7.2.1.4 Proposition for improvement of the application of the preservation technique 180 7.2.2. Wim Delvoye: Autoportrait (2005, Métissages MIAT) 182 7.2.2.1 Creating context for conservation 182 7.2.2.2 Deterioration processes and condition of the food: cured smoked ham 186 5 7.2.2.3 Conservation issues and museum practices: application of the food preservation technique MAP (100%N2) 188 7.2.2.4 Proposition for improvement of the application of the preservation technique 190 PART 4: General discussion and conclusion: The role of science in the conservation and presentation of contemporary food-based art 193 4.1. New strategies for the conservation of food-based art 193 4.2. Reaching the level of understanding of food materials: incorporation of preservation knowledge from the food industry 195 4.3. Efficiency of food preservation techniques: experimental research 197 4.4. Application of food science to food-based artworks: research of cases in their museum context 199 4.5. General conclusions and further perspectives 202 BIBLIOGRAPHY 205 Website information 222 6 Acknowledgments riting this manuscript has involved much reflection over the past years of my academic and personal life. My debts are Wmany. My fascination for the conservation of contemporary art started during my postgraduate study Conservation and Management of Contemporary Art. During this study, I had the opportunity to study and work at the S.M.A.K., the Museum of Contemporary Art, in Ghent and, to build up several remarkable exhibitions (it all started with Over The Edges). Special thanks go to Jan Hoet, Marlies Frentz and Fredrika Huys, who all believed in my capacities and gave me the opportunity to gain insight in the ‘back and front office’ of the S.M.AK. This study offered me the framework to work on my first thesis, ‘Study into the packaging and storage for artworks with food’. To complete this food science-based project, I must thank Frank Devlieghere and Liesbeth Jackxens who introduced me into the world of food microbiology and food preservation. Claire Van Damme remained my mentor for many years and was the inspiration for my PhD project. Without all our fruitful conversations, this study would not have been as rich and varied. Many thanks also to Bruno De Meulenaer and Dirk Van Gogh, co-promotors of this study, for being by my side, during those intensive years of research. Also, I am very glad that Maximiliaan Martens was prepared to follow up Claire. He definitely contributed to the improvement of this PhD thesis and supported me in the final phase. For giving me the opportunity to pursue my research I would like to thank Ghent University and the University College of Ghent (School of Arts). Thank you Wim De Temmerman for giving me this opportunity. Warm regards to my best colleague ever Bram Van De Veire and all my other closest colleagues at TEBEAC, Jan, Pieternel, Marijke, Patrick and all the ‘older’ colleagues Guy, Luc, Eric, Peter R. and many others. Tom, Isabelle, Glenn, Muriel, Ysbrand, Thea, Tatia, Sanneke and many other international colleagues have been very valuable supporters, defenders and critical interlocutors for many years of output. Future Art… Yes We Can! 7 I would particularly like to thank Peter Van De Abeele, whose amiability and good humour have been a valuable support to me over the last years.