Elle Friedberg
Before treatment, normal illumination. First box as described below.
BRILLO BOX
Paint and ink on wood
Materials
1964
Year
Andy Warhol
Maker
Collection
Philadelphia Museum of Art
In the 1960s, Andy Warhol created a series of works that mimic the packaging of mass-produced products including Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Mott’s Apple Juice, and Brillo Soap Pads. Warhol’s Brillo Boxes capture some of the key themes of the Pop Art Movement: recognizable imagery, consumerism, satire, and an emphasis on mechanized production.
Warhol created about one hundred Brillo Boxes for exhibition at the Stable Gallery in New York in 1964. The boxes were displayed in stacks from floor to ceiling as if they were in a store. He transformed the idea of what art could be, blurring the lines between fine art and everyday life.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art has three Brillo Boxes in its collection, two of which were determined to need conservation treatment.
Before treatment, normal illumination. Second box as described below.
Images: Jason Wierzbicki, Conservation Photographer
CONDITION BEFORE TREATMENT
First Brillo Box
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The first box had significant cracking, flaking, and losses in the red paint on one side of the box.
Second Brillo Box
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The second box had a rectangular area of yellowing adhesive residue, likely from a previously applied tape, with lifting white paint at the edges.
KEY TREATMENT STEPS
First Brillo Box
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Dry cleaned surface with a soft brush
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Consolidated flaking red screenprint ink
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Compensated areas of loss in red screenprint ink with toned Japanese papers
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Rehoused object
Before treatment: losses in the red screen print ink.
During treatment: right loss filled with a toned piece of Japanese paper.
Second Brillo Box
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Dry cleaned surface with a soft brush
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Consolidated flaking white paint
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Reduced yellow adhesive
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Inpainted areas of loss in the white paint
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Rehoused object
Before treatment: yellowing adhesive residues.
After treatment: after reducing adhesive residues, consolidating paint, and inpainting.
Additional images. Use arrows to scroll and click on images to expand.
TREATMENT RESULTS
Before treatment, First box as described.
After treatment, First box as described.
Before treatment, Second box as described.
After treatment, Second box as described.
Images: Jason Wierzbicki, Conservation Photographer