From Marble to Chocolate:
Conservation of Modern Sculpture
Jackie Heuman

ISBN: 1-873132-85-9 • 2001 • $100 • Paper

Since the mid-nineteenth century, sculptors have played a leading role in successive redefinitions of contemporary art. From a conservation perspective, modern sculptural innovation deserves attention in two particular respects: on the one hand, the increasing use of new materials or combinations of materials; and on the other, the creative use not simply of form but especially of transformation, transience, and even (as in the conceptual movement) immateriality itself. Taking an increasing interest in the wider context of their work, some artists have incorporated into their practice a challenge to notions of authorship and authenticity that poses serious dilemmas for anyone responsible for curating or conserving these artworks.