Nanogel technology restores Lichtenstein's 'Whaam!' at Tate
Roy Lichtenstein's 1963 diptych 'Whaam!', a Pop Art masterpiece housed at Tate London since 1966, has been successfully cleaned using a novel nanogel technology. For decades, conservators struggled to remove grime without damaging the delicate pigments and techniques. The breakthrough came via a chemical hydrogel developed by the Italian CSGI Florence consortium, which leaves no residue. The Tate's conservation team applied this gel to safely restore the painting's original colors, as detailed in a museum YouTube video.
Key facts
- Roy Lichtenstein painted 'Whaam!' in 1963.
- The work is a large two-part diptych.
- It has been at Tate London since 1966.
- Previous cleaning attempts were unsuccessful due to delicate pigments.
- A new gel cleaning technique based on nanotechnology was used.
- The hydrogel was developed by CSGI Florence, an Italian interuniversity consortium.
- The gel leaves no residues on treated surfaces.
- The restoration process is documented in a Tate YouTube video.
Entities
Artists
- Roy Lichtenstein
Institutions
- Tate London
- CSGI Florence
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Florence
- Italy