HE-Arc
Conservation-restauration
CANS – Conservation of cAns in collectioNS

CANS – Conservation of cAns in collectioNS

Conservation-restoration
Date
2014 — 2017

Conservation des boîtes de conserve appartenant à des collections patrimoniales (Musée d’art, d’histoire ou ethnographique). Analyse et caractérisation de la valeur patrimoniale de ces collections et développement des procédures de conservation adaptées à ces objets atypiques.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of CANS are to improve the knowledge about cans, to develop treatment methodologies respectful of the material authenticity and cultural values of these composite objects and to propose solutions in terms of preventive conservation.

Link to the site: https://www.he-arc.ch/conservation-restauration/cans-blog/

PROGRAM

Patented at the early 19th century, CANS represent an important technological innovation and one of the symbols of consumer society. They are represented in several museum collections as witness to different time periods and significances.

However, their conservation is particularly problematic as severe corrosion phenomena occur due to interaction with environment as well as between the organic content and the metallic sealer.

The project includes :

  • investigation on the values and functions of cans in our society;
  • identification of the principal problems of conservation in different museum collections;
  • assessment of the relation between observed degradations, environmental conditions and cans composition (materials used, forms, contents…);
  • investigation on the mechanisms involved in the long-term degradation of both containers and contents;
  • proposition of preventive conservation methodologies and possible interventions.

CANS project constitutes an interdisciplinary research that brings together ethnologists, food technology experts, conservators-restorers and conservation scientists (corrosion, material sciences). This project will contribute to the discovering of degradation mechanisms and to the set up of preventive conservation strategies of those objects that are actually part of the cultural heritage.

FUNDING

  • Swiss National Science Foundation snf.ch

PARTNERS

  • Musée d’ethnographie, Neuchâtel men.ch
  • Tribology and interface chemistry group (EPFL) epfl.ch
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