AIC's 45th Annual Meeting

The re-formulation of cleaning gels for the removal of dirt and salts from tile project is based on the comparable results of three professional based on three different countries. The cooperation project is carried out not only based on the grounds of measuring results of an improved traditional cleaning systems but also on the need of synergy among the professional of nations in Southamerica and The Carribbean. The authors are committed to add prospectives, bridge distances and as a result open new opportunities in our field. The agreement for this project arises from numerous discussions undertaken within the framework of the celebration of the First Congress of preservation-Apoyonline- held in the city of Medellin, Colombia. The starting point of the project is the research being undertaken by Conservator Giselle Canosa in Argentina on re-formulating gel cleaning to improve performance. The system will be tested within the next five months by Mural Conservators Ruahidy Lombart in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and Viviana Dominguez in Willemstad in the island of Curacao. Paul Giudicelli's tile murals, from 1959/61 are located in the Dominican Republic an island with torrid rains and high humidity while Charles Eyck tile mural from 1960 is located on the dry island of Curazao. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the gels will be tested on two tile murals by Alfredo Guido that were produced by Cataneo and Company in 1938 and are located on the city's subway. In addition the team intends to explore network communication as a means for collaborative exchange, transfers of experiences allow them to obtain initial data on color characteristics, surface absorption, composition, among others; This will enable the unification of methods of intervention and thus elucidate their relative effectiveness, making comparisons of the results arising from the intervention methodology Through this project the professionals pursuit to develop a methodology into concrete practices in applying a cleaning system with non-traditional gels used on inorganic supports located in three dissimilar environmental conditions. The conservators also seek to ascertain the reactions that they can experience and compare similarities and differences in the results. This pilot project intend to not only the development of our cultural heritage but also to improve relationships with our colleagues that can use this working format.