AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

Conservation scientists and conservators at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) collaborated on a project to better understand the scented components used to create Montien Boonma’s (b. Thailand, 1953 – 2000) large scale installation, House of Hope. Conceived in 1996, the piece is comprised of more than 400 painted wooden stools, over 1,300 strings of scented prayer beads, and an enormous steel grid which are assembled together to create a structure meant to evoke a Buddhist temple. The installation is finished by a custom painted mural, made using glutinous rice powder and various spices, that encircles the temple on three sides and must be recreated for each installation. The minimum space required for the installed piece is 13’(H) x 23’ (W) x 29’ (D) (4m x 7m x 9m). A major feature of the installation is the olfactory experience generated by the beads and mural. The team at MoMA took on the task of identifying the spices used to create the beads as well as those found in 8 bags of powders shipped to the Museum with the rest of the piece since limited information was provided. Written reports indicated the beads were made from herbal medicines and email communications with foundations and individuals previously involved with the work indicated that powders shipped along with the piece were either pure materials or blends of colorants and spices. Various methods were used to identify the composition of the beads and powders, including consultation with purveyors at Asian spice shops in Manhattan and Queens, communication with the artist’s former assistant, and technical analysis including solid phase micro-extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), optical microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Several unexpected obstacles were encountered during this project: analyzing spices and powders that were nearly 30-years-old and had perhaps lost their scent, changed color, or chemically degraded; incomplete documentation; cross-contamination of materials; and language barriers. It was determined that the beads and wall painting were made using different spices. Beads were bound using pine cone honey, turmeric, ginger, and thyme, and other natural foodstuffs. One of the powders used to create the wall painting was identified as Yaa hom, a traditional Thai medicinal mixture used to treat nausea and dizziness. Unfortunately, some of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the Yaa hom permeated the other powders stored in close proximity, making it difficult to identify them. This project explores the unique challenges that arise when working with contemporary artwork, especially those where a key facet is scent, an element that requires thoughtful consideration to recreate. With a greater understanding of the materials, the work completed here will hopefully guide future installations of the piece.