AIC-PMG Winter Meeting 2025

This paper focuses on developing a display solution for the mixed-media photo artwork Revolution, Body, Time (1978) by Ernesto de Sousa. Due to the artwork’s intricate composition and fragile condition, it was essential to find a safe display method that would also honour the artist’s original intent of presenting the piece without a frame and completely flat.

A comprehensive literature review and a series of mounting tests were conducted to achieve this. Based on the findings, a magnet-based mounting system emerged as the most viable solution. Neodymium magnets and magnetic adhesive tapes were selected for this approach, although the latter is rarely cited in the literature.

Mock-up tests were performed, which involved applying the magnets and subjecting them to various ageing tests. The materials were then characterized using colourimetry, digital optical microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (μED-XRF), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR).

The results led to the development of a safe display method for the upcoming 2024 exhibition, successfully preserving the artist’s intent. This approach could also potentially be applied to other works by Ernesto de Sousa or similar artworks in need of a comparable solution.