Reformulating BEVA™ 371
Experts meeting
Course Description
Please join us on July 4th, 9:15 am CEST for a one-day seminar and discussion around “Reformulating BEVA™ 371.” This seminar will include discussions on the development of Beva 371, what makes the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer a unique lining adhesive for paintings on canvas, and how the currently available Beva 371, which replaced the original in commercial production about 15 years ago, differs from the original copolymer’s performance. Speakers will introduce new formulations being developed jointly with conservators and scientists (referred to as the “Akron formulations”), which are designed to emulate the performance of the original lining adhesive first used in 1970. The Akron formulations have approximately the same low-temperature setting attributes as the original Beva 371. In addition to presenting work on developing viscous solutions and solvent-free films, we will be discussing other innovations in making the Akron formulation more sustainable. This project is a collaboration between the Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University and University of Akron’s Polymer Chemistry and Polymer Engineering program. This project is indebted to the cooperation of CPC and CTS, current suppliers of Beva 371 to the US and EU, who we hope to continue working with to disseminate this material to the conservation community. It has been generously supported by the Getty Foundation as part of its Conserving Canvas initiative.
Image: courtesy of the Conservation Studio of the Guggenheim Museum, New York
Program:
9:15 - Welcome
9:20 - Introduction, Justification and Goals - Chris McGlinchey
9:50 - Adhesion Principles of Thermoplastics Polymers - Ali Dhinojwala
10:40 - BEVA 371 at the 1974 Greenwich Conference on Comparative Lining Techniques: A pivotal moment - Chris McGlinchey
11:20 - Discussion: Q and A, lining and balancing the aesthetic and engineering needs of a painting.
12:20-13:30 - Lunch break
13:30 - Discussion: Selecting from the palette of lining adhesives and methods based upon considerations inherent to the painting.
14:00 - Deconstructing and Reconstructing Beva 371 (Rebecca Ploeger)
14:40 - Break
15:00 - The Akron Formulations of Beva 371: Screening candidates & exploring new ways to process it. (Dharamdeep Jain)
16:00 - Group discussion
Useful information
Speaker
Chris McGlinchey
Chris McGlinchey is a Research Scholar at the Conservation Center of the Institute of FIne Arts, New York University where he has lectured on the topic of cultural heritage science in various capacities for more than thirty years. In 2019 he left the Museum of Modern Art where he worked for twenty-one years and established the science section of the conservation department. Between 1984 and 1999 he worked as a scientist in the Paintings Conservation department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Rebecca Ploeger
Dr. Rebecca Ploeger is an Associate Professor of Conservation Science in the Garman Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State. She received her Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences from the University of Torino, Italy. Her main research interests are in the design, characterization and stability of synthetic polymeric materials used by artists, artisans, and conservators.
Dharamdeep Jain
Dr. Dharamdeep Jain is currently a research scientist in the School of Polymer science and Polymer Engineering at The University of Akron, Ohio. He is working on developing adhesives for art restoration. Dharamdeep’s other areas of interest include surface science, coatings, material characterization, thermoplastics, and biomimicry. Prior to this position, he spent three years as a scientist in the R&D division of Firestone Building Products, working on developing adhesives for roofing applications. He received his Ph.D. degree in Polymer Science for The University of Akron and an undergraduate degree in Surface Coatings Technology from Institute of Chemical Technology, India.