The conservation issues posed by modern and contemporary art are among the most pressing in the field. Despite their relatively young age (modern is loosely defined here as post 1900, and contemporary as anything made in the last thirty years), these art works present substantial conservation challenges. In addition to the obvious scenarios of conservation being required after accidental damage or vandalism—either of which could occur from the very moment a work of art is created—there are several other factors particular to these works that create a need for conservation research.

The GCI is taking a broad approach in this area but with its main focus on a range of scientific research projects on synthetic materials, specifically:

• Modern Paints
• Preservation of Plastics
• Outdoor Painted Surfaces

These projects typically consist of: development of analytical methods for identification of these relatively new materials; monitoring and assessment of their stability; search for technical solutions to decrease their rates of deterioration; and evaluation of the effectiveness and potential risk of conservation treatments.

The Modern and Contemporary Art Research initiative also actively seeks to advance ethical and philosophical discourse among professionals, through discussion, reflection and dissemination. This is undertaken with a wide range of related activities including conferences, experts meetings, workshops, panel discussions, publications, and public exhibition.

Why does modern and contemporary art need specific research and attention? The reasons are complex:

• The range of materials used to create these works is almost limitless. Each material needs to be studied before the signs of deterioration are apparent, so that the best methods for preventing damage or change can be determined.
• Many modern materials are inherently unstable and quickly show signs of deteriorationsuch as early cellulosic plastics used in twentieth-century sculpture. This means that some works of art that are only a few decades old may already need conservation.
• Aesthetically, there is often a low tolerance from artists and the public for signs of aging in many modern and contemporary pieces, so that intervention may be required at a much earlier point than in traditional art.
• Many tried and tested conservation materials and processes routinely used on traditional works are often inappropriate for modern materials. Conservators therefore often have to undertake treatments that have not been fully evaluated.
• There is a lack of consensus within the art world on how to address the ethical dilemmas frequently posed by the conservation of contemporary pieces. For example, an artist's wish to remake a deteriorated work (creating a new object closer to the original intention in appearance) would seam to be in serious conflict with established conservation ethics on reversibility and conserving original materials.