POLAROIDS BY YENI & NAN

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) project
Treatment completed March 2024

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︎︎︎ Treatment Report

Description

This large panoramic arrangement of 48 color SX-70 Polaroid photographs depicts the artist-duo, Jennifer Hackshaw (b. 1946) and Maria Luisa González (b. 1953), performing the work Integrations in Water. The individual instant prints are held together on the verso with various pressure-sensitive tapes. There is an inscription in white crayon on the verso of the overall arrangement, on the black tape, that reads “Integraciones En Agua 1981 / Nan y Yeni Paris”. This work is the first piece in a series of four projects that developed around the theme of the four elements, the second being Autológica entre el agua y el aire (691.2017), followed by Transfiguracion elemento tierra in 1983.

About Yeni y Nan

Hacksaw and Gonzalez met as art students in 1976 at the Cristobal Rojas School of Art in Caracas, Venezuela. Upon moving to London they acquired a gift from the Polaroid Corporation, part of the company’s initiative to encourage young artists to use instant film (Chagas n.d.). Instant film quickly and essentially became part of the artist’s process and presentation of their performances. 

The artist’s first collaborative work, Integrations in water, offers an analogy with birth through performance art and visual art. Polaroid instant photographs were part of the presentations and installations of the work. While capturing the performance, the artists adjusted the Polaroid camera lens aperture while shooting these images to create a sequence of images from light (over exposed) to darkness (under exposed). During performances of the work, the artists would hang small bags of water each with one instant print inside, with other instant prints composed into grids and hung on the wall (Chagas 2023).

About Polaroids

Edwin Land announced the SX-70 film in May 1972, which marked the first fully automatic, camera-initiated process of instant films. Images are composed and focused through a single lens reflex viewfinder. Upon releasing the shutter, the multilayered film is released and pressed between rollers, which activates the development process. The resulting images are dye-based, continuous in tone with high density range, and no visible grain. The film package contains the photographic image, which is covered with a polyester translucent sheet, backed with a black polyester opaque sheet, and framed by white borders. In 1976, the SX-70 film was improved with an anti-reflective coating on the outer translucent sheet.

Structure of the Assemblage

The 48 photographs are arranged in a grid of 16 columns and 3 rows. The columns are arranged with the photographs side by side, while each lower row overlaps the bottom edge of the row below. The bottom white frame of the instant prints offer a wide margin for the artists to adhere and enhance the grid-like arrangement, while the bottom row was kept visible for aesthetics by the duo.

It appears that each horizontal row was first arranged and secured on the verso with a cream-colored masking tape along the center of each photograph. A few gaps are present between the columns where the exposed tape can be seen; some slight overlap of prints is present as well. There is additional clear pressure-sensitive tape adhered to the prints along the top, bottom, left, and right edges, further securing the prints. Evidence of this tape can also be seen along the verso edges and in raking light. Also visible in raking light, there appears to also be a long piece of tape running diagonally across the center 8 columns (likely cream masking tape).

In the final stage of the assembly, thick black duct tape strips were applied over the previous tapes and over the entire verso. Many folds and creases are present throughout the tape and tacky adhesive residues are scattered along the edges of the tape , possibly due to quick work by the artists and continued handling and folding of the work. On this black tape, the artists have inscribed in white crayon on the bottom right corner  “Integraciones En Agua 1981 / Nan y Yeni Paris”.  

Condition Assessment

Overall the 48 photographs are in good and stable condition. The image dye material has shifted slightly and yellowed, typical of dye-based materials of this age. The most notable condition issues present are the scattered adhesive residues throughout the recto and verso. The adhesive is mostly located around the edges of the photographs on the white frame borders, but is also found on the clear cover sheets and along the edges of the black duct tape on the verso.

Additionally, there is a significant number of minor abrasions to the surface of the clear cover sheets and overall distortion of the photographs due to the overlapping arrangements of the prints and various tapes used. Scattered surface dust and grime, worn edges and minor losses of the white frames, along with tape remnants on the surface of photographs can also be seen.

On the verso, the tape used to secure the prints is well adhered overall, with minor areas of lifting along the seams. Scattered accretions, surface dust and grime, along with a hair on the bottom right corner are also present. The inscription is slightly smudged so the media was tested with a small brush and was found to be friable.

Surface Cleaning Testing 

Surface cleaning tests were performed on Polaroid samples donated to the MoMA photography study collection materials by Vivien Walworth. The purpose of testing was to inform material and techniques decisions for treatment. Many of the instant prints in the study collection were dated, those close to 1981 were selected for testing. Tests focused on the plastic cover sheets which are the most susceptible to abrasions and surface alterations. Additional testing was also performed on the white borders and black backing to see how those materials interact as well.

Surface cleaning materials were assessed by examining any residues, surface changes, and abrasions occurred along with the materials’ ease of use and their success in removal of grime and adhesive to the extent possible. Results in the following tables were compiled while looking in normal light, raking light, and under magnification.

Summary (Dry): Dry methods overall were not very effective or destructive even on the clear plastic cover sheets. On the white borders however, all appear to have similar results with no residues, accretions, or gloss/color change. Crepe eraser was determined to be the most effective method for cleaning the white borders as it can easily be cut into shape for targeted use, known to reduce adhesive effectively and efficiently, and tested well on using on the white frames. For cleaning the clear plastic, only a brush appeared safe to use, although this method would not be effective at reducing adhesive.

Summary (Aqueous): Overall the aqueous methods had very varied results. In all, the underlying image material (dye clouds) appeared unchanged. On the white borders, all appear similar, no residues or drying marks on the surface. Ethanol was selected as the most appropriate method due to lack of drying marks, control of the size of cotton swabs while using, ability to pick up surface grime, and does not affect the image material as tested.

Treatment Goals

Examine and document the structure and reduce the adhesive residues present on both the recto and verso of the work to ensure long-term stability in storage, during handling and for display. Provide handling and display guidelines.

Treatment Report

1. Worked with Senior Collections Photographer for Conservation, Adam Neese, to document the photograph before and after treatment with digital imaging including recto, verso, raking, and normal light using FujiFilm GFX100S and Capture One software.
   
2. Surface cleaned recto using crepe eraser on white borders and ethanol on rolled cotton swabs on the clear plastic cover when necessary. Worked under magnification along with both raking and normal light in order to see the adhesive residues most clearly.
3. Surface cleaned verso using crepe eraser.  

Before Treatment Photography

Before Treatment images taken by Adam Neese, Senior Collections Photographer for Conservation




During Treatment Photography

After Treatment Photography

After Treatment images taken by Adam Neese, Senior Collections Photographer for Conservation

Housing

The current housing consists of a custom blue board box and blueboard trays and appears to be appropriate size and thickness for this large and long work. Due to the tackiness of the adhesive on the verso of the print, currently a sheet of silicone release Mylar is placed across the bottom of the blue board tray. Following treatment, housing details may be reassessed.

Guidelines and Recommendations for Display

Instant prints are one-of-a-kind images and should only be displayed under controlled conditions. Color measures should be taken before and after exhibition to monitor for color changes as the dyes in instant prints have poor light stability. Wilhelm has noted that when displayed, Polaroid Spectra, 600 Plus, and SX-70 prints fade significantly faster than typical chromogenic papers (2000, 124). While the dyes in instant prints are considered moderately stable in dark storage (Penichon 2013, 262), in dark storage at normal room temperatures, they can develop an overall yellowish stain in a relatively short period (Wilhelm 1993, 124). Environment conditions should be at a maximum temperature of 18C and relative humidity 30-50% (Lavedrine 2000, 89).

MoMA exhibition guidelines follow lighting suggestions made by Sarah Wagner, Connie McCabe, and Barbara Lemmen in their 2000 “Guidelines for Exhibition Light Levels for Photographs.” Here they consider instant prints to be very light-sensitive and recommend that the total exposure per year should be 5,000 ft-c hours (50,000 lux-hours) and prints should rest for a minimum of 3 years between display cycles. They also note that higher levels may be necessary to see color well and, in that case, to consider higher light level categories for a shorter duration.

Additionally, Bertrand Lavédrine takes a more conservative approach and lists instant photographs as “particularly sensitive” and recommends they be exposed no more than 12,000 lux-hours annually, with a maximum illumination of 50 lux (2003, 163). On the Photographic Materials Group (PMG) Wiki, instant prints are considered “VERY light sensitive materials” and suggest 3000-5000 fc-hrs (32,280-53,800 lux-hrs) for 1 year with all ultraviolet light removed and to consider using facsimiles.

References

Chagas, Elise. 2022. “Yeni & Nan.” MoMA. https://www.moma.org/artists/67994

Chagas, Elise. 2023. “Perception That Opens Like a Memory: An Interview with Yeni & Nan.” MoMA Magazine. Published April 28, 2022. Online. https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/726 

Land, Edwin H., Howard G. Rogers, and Vivian K. Walworth. 1977. “One-Step Photography.” In Neblette’s Handbook of Photography and Reprography: Materials, Processes, and Systems 7th ed. Edited by John M. Sturge. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, p.259-330

Lavédrine, Bertrand. 2003. A Guide to the Preventive Conservation of Photograph Collections. Getty Publications: Los Angeles, CA.

Penichon, Sylvie. 2013. Twentieth-Century Color Photographs. Getty Conservation Institute: Los Angeles.

PMG. 2004. “PMG Section 1.4.1 Standards, Guidelines, and Recommendations for Light Levels During Exhibition.” In AIC Wiki. Last update on June 15, 2023. Online. https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/PMG_Section_1.4.1_Standards,_Guidelines,_and_Recommendations_for_Light_Levels_During_Exhibition

Wagner, Sarah. and Connie McCabe, Barbara Lemmen. 2000. “Guidelines for Exhibition Light Levels for Photographs.” In Topics in Photographic Preservation, vol. 9. AIC: Washington, D.C. https://resources.culturalheritage.org/pmgtopics/2001-volume-nine/09_11_Wagner.pdf

Wilhelm, Henry and Carol Brower. 1993. The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs: Traditional and Digital Color Prints, Color Negatives, Slides, and Motion Pictures. Preservation Publishing Company: Grinnell, Iowa.

1998. “Cleaning Color Photographs, Kent Workshop, September 24-26, 1998.” Unpublished notes (1 October 1998): 1-13.

2000. “Mellon Collaborative Workshop on Contemporary Photographic Processes: Treatment Issues Practicum Summary.” Practicum Summary (22 June 2000).