Enemies of Your Art

You have found the perfect piece of artwork for your home. The gallery carefully packs it to prevent it from being damaged during transport. Carefully you remove it from your car and bring it into your home. You delicately unwrap it and find the perfect location for it in your home for all to see. Little are you aware, there lurks many enemies of your art just waiting to take away its luster and beauty. What are these enemies? They are environmental enemies. These enemies can cause pictures to peel, photographs to fade and crack, glass to yellow, pottery to chip, and metals to corrode. These enemies can be found all around, so it is best that you are aware so that you can protect your art and your investment. Here are the top five most common environmental enemies of your art:

1. Light: Accelerates chemical oxidation and the breakdown of paper. Ultraviolet or UV light is the most damaging because of its short, high energy wavelengths.
2. Heat: Speeds up oxidation, embrittlement of paper and textiles as well as accelerating mold growth and biological activities.
3. Humidity: High relative humidity speeds up chemical reactions and deterioration of paper and textile fiber. Molds and biological pests also thrive in moist environments and fading is accelerated.
4. Pollution: Sulfur Oxide, Nitrogen Oxide, and Ozone are the three most common pollution elements that can damage your art. These emissions can speed oxidation, cause pigments and dyes to fade, and cause pieces to corrode.
5. Biological: Insects which attack art on paper and textiles feed on the materials in a frame package such as starch paste, the emulsion of silver gelatine, dye and chromogenic photographs, or nest and hatch larvae in the fibers.

Now that you are familiar with these environmental enemies and the damage they can cause, the best way to keep your artwork safe from these enemies is to keep them out of harms way.

Always be aware of the placement of your art pieces. Avoid placing artwork in direct sunlight. Between the effects of the UV rays and the heat generated by the sunlight, your artwork can be negatively impacted.

Avoid placing your art pieces in rooms that are extremely dry or very humid. If you live in an environment that has extremes of both humidity and dryness throughout the year, be extremely careful to moderate this within your home to reduce the impact these moisture fluctuations can have on your art pieces. Those living in humid environments should also be cautious of the potential for bacteria, mold, and mildew formation.

Living in the city can have advantages, but one disadvantage is the environmental effects on your art pieces. Those with metal artwork in areas of high pollution will need to take extra precautions to protect their metal art pieces from the damages of acid rain or from airborne pollutants increasing the speed of oxidation.

When storing artwork, be sure that it is wrapped properly to prevent breakage, but be certain that the artwork will be stored in a cool, climate controlled environment, that is insect free.

By properly handling, displaying, and storing your artwork you can protect your artwork from all these potential environmental hazards and keep your art in pristine condition for all to admire.