open.museum: GREATWALL PRINT*

I CONSTRUCTION

Dimensions: 4m/3m/1m

Elements

12 Space Frame Elements (1m/1m/1m)
1 One Way Mirror Panel printed on both sides.

Materials

Aluminum tubes 25 mm x 25 mm, 2mm thick
Stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers, 6mm
POM distance pieces 12 mm
Mirror film or plate, 3mm
Diverse montage elements

II INFORMATION

Description

The GREATWALL PRINT: This element is designed to present a case study on the loss of color in ancient frescoes due to lacuna. This element introduces a novel approach to exhibiting historical artworks affected by time, offering viewers insight into restoration processes that honor the authenticity of the original work and highlight restoration as an act of care. This is achieved using a series of printed layers on a one-way mirror: A high resolution digital image of the original in its current state is printed onto the front side of the mirror and the restoration of those parts which are missing from the original are reverse-printed on the backside of the mirrored. This ensures the two prints remain distinct, allowing viewers to see the original condition of the artwork. By shining a light onto the front side of the print, the mirror surface dissolves, and the current image combines with the image containing the missing data, providing a digital restoration experience of the object.

A Mock up sketch of the GREATWALL PRINT element

Elaboration

The GREATWALL PRINT element presents a new approach to exhibiting historical works of art that have been affected by the passage of time. It offers viewers insight into the restoration processes, emphasizing that such efforts must remain authentic to the original and communicate that restoration is an act of care.

This is accomplished by using printed layers on the back and the front of a one-way mirror. When a beam of light is focused onto the mirror's surface, the mirror dissolves and a restored version of the work, as it might have been at the time of its creation, emerges.

The mirror is printed with two layers designed to overlay and form a single complete image. The surface with the original image is termed the "Current Image Plate" and is printed on the front side of the mirror; the surface containing the data to complete the image is termed the "Compensation Plate" and is printed on the back side of the mirror.

The Current Image Plate consists of a high-resolution digital print on a mirrored acrylic glass surface, where all areas missing data are knocked out with 100% transparency. The Compensation Image is then reverse-printed onto the backside of the mirrored acrylic glass surface. This arrangement ensures that the two prints remain independent from one another, making it clear to the viewer what the condition of the original is.

III ENGAGEMENT APP

Description

GreatWall Print: An app providing an interactive experience for exploring frescoes allowing users to switch between restored and unrestored images and engage in a digital restoration process.

User Scenario

>User scans QR located on the Case Study Element and the application opens up;
>Instructions appear on the screen for the user to read;
>The user chooses the matching buttons that belong to one of the three sculptures.;
>When all of the buttoms belonging to the artwork have been selected by the user, the viewer can check his/her selection by pressing the RESTORE key;
>If correct the artwork appears on the screen and the user can see the restored artwork:
>If the "VIEW AR key" is pressed and not of all of the correct buttons have been pressed, the 3D model will not appear and a mesage "proper parts not selected"

Case Study Assets

Diverse Frescos from Temple of Isis

fig. A mock-up of the GUI for the GreatWall Print Engagement App.

IV CASE STUDY ARTWORKS

Purpose

The GREATWALL PRINT element is designed for presenting case studies on color loss in select frescoes from Temple of Isis in Pompei that have experienced lacunae, i.e., the missing portions or gaps where original material has been lost.

Artworks: