Basic Survey Study for Preservation of Damaged Tile Sculpture Artwork

Abstract

This is a basic study on the artwork of the artist Ji Yeong Kim, “Ascending up the river against the current ...” currently being exhibited in the sculpture park of Suwon World Cup Stadium and it was confirmed that tiles used in the artwork production are classified into 2 types, namely, porcelain tile and ceramic tile, through scientific analytic method. It was confirmed that the tiles that form the overall background of the artwork are unglazed porcelain tiles with the same exterior and interior physical state that experienced absorption rate of 0.4% and firing at high temperature of more than 1,300℃. It was possible to discern that tiles used for the portion presumed to have embodied fish tail are 3 types with the different exterior and interior physical state from each other that have experienced absorption rate of more than 10% and firing at temperatures in the range of 1,000∼1,20 0℃, and that they were manufactured by being coated with glaze in which pyrophylite or dolomite range mineral has been mixed. As the result, it was possible to discern that porcelain tiles were used as the material for outdoor tile sculpture artwork due to its advantages including stability such as durability and water-resistance, etc. while ceramic tiles were used due to their ability to realized diversified colors and patterns through scientific analysis.