Degradation of the outdoor wooden sculptures from Forma Viva Park in Kostanjevica: Documentation on a case study and conservation guidelines

Authors: Lara Skukan and Ana Sterle
Mentors: Tamara Trček Pečak, Professor; Denis Trček, PhD, Professor

Institution: Department for Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art, Academy of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Study programme: Conservation and restoration of works of art, 5th year of study
Specialization: Conservation-restoration of polychrome sculptures and paintings

Abstract
In 2019, the project Erasmus+ - Re-Forma Viva was announced, focused on the digitization of outdoor wooden sculptures, from the sculpture park Forma Viva in Kostanjevica, using 3D technology. The sculpture park is a symposium that has been running annually from 1961. to 1988. and biennially since 1998. During this period, more than 100 sculptures were created out of locally gathered oak. Using wood for outdoor sculptures is a challenging and complex choice of material. The artists should consider physical and biological aspects of the wood, due to the environmental factors causing wood decay, etc. However, doing so can restrict artistic freedom thus artists did not contemplate those limitations during their working process. All above-mentioned can be observed in the Forma Viva sculpture park and it inevitably ended in the collapse of many sculptures. Given the financial incapacity of providing adequate care, the sculptures are degrading quickly, need regular care and conservation-restoration treatment.
With this in mind, we created graphical documentation in 2D and 3D perspectives that greatly contributed to visual capturing of the damages and the condition. Through research following modern conservation criteria, we managed to form extensive guidelines covering the artistic methodology, thorough conservation documentation, treatment proposal, and monitoring.

Speakers' biographies
LARA SKUKAN was born in Ljubljana, on October 19, 1996. In 2015 she started studies in the conservation of works of art at the University of Ljubljana, Academy of Fine Arts and Design, where she graduated in 2019. She is now a student of a postgraduate program of conservation of easel paintings at the University of Ljubljana, Academy of Fine Arts and Design.

ANA STERLE was born in Ljubljana, on October 11, 1996. In 2015 she started studies in the conservation of works of art at the University of Ljubljana, Academy of Fine Arts and Design. In 2019 she studied conservation of contemporary art at ESAPA, Spain and the same year graduated at the University of Ljubljana, Academy of Fine Arts and Design. She is now a student of a postgraduate program of conservation of easel paintings at the University of Ljubljana, Academy of Fine Arts and Design.