Lifting the Fog: Conservation of Agnes Martin's Morning

In 1974, Tate acquired Agnes Martin’s painting Morning made in 1965. In 2000, the work was put on display at the newly opened Tate Modern, where it appeared worn and aged. Noted at the time as having a degraded and dirt-imbibed varnish, many unsuccessful attempts had been made to remove the varnish and restore the surface. In 2010 the painting was released from display for conservation research with the hope that an effective conservation treatment approach could be found . This investigation elucidated the requisite characteristics of Martin’s particular surface aesthetic, this in-turn guiding the conservator towards a successful restoration of the surface of the painting. In this talk Conservator, Rachel Barker describes the technical and aesthetic characteristics of Agnes Martin’s painting and presents the restoration process with the aid of detailed images.