Climate change has been causing extreme events all over the world. In Brazil, they appear in the form of more frequent and heavier rainfall. If under normal conditions summer in the tropics is already a challenging season for the conservation of artworks, with the increase in rainfall care must be redoubled.
The rise in the relative humidity of the air is one of the greatest risk factors for collections. Together with the rise in temperature and in light exposure, humidity can cause the appearance of pests and mould, which can have irreversible consequences for materials such as canvases or wooden sculptures.
Ideal conditions
A constant temperature between 18 °C and 22 °C and relative humidity of the air between 45% and 55% are the ideal environmental conditions for maintaining artworks and can be achieved with a good climate control system. As well as preventing pests and mould, keeping the temperature constant avoids the natural expansion of materials that can occur when the weather warms up abruptly.
It is also highly advisable to keep the maintenance of the building up to date, checking for water infiltration that may be harmful to the collection. The risk is greater in storage areas, which are not accessed every day, where the works that are not on display in the main part of the building are kept.
Fine art storage is an alternative
To avoid any risk, one alternative is to turn to a professional artwork storage service, such as the one offered by Clé Reserva Contemporânea. Our fully climate-controlled warehouse has private or shared spaces, all with security and a fire prevention system operating 24×7.
Clé works for the most important museums in Brazil thanks to the reliability of its climate control and security standards, which are offered in the same way to private clients as well. It is possible to leave a single object or entire collections in our care, since we offer various types of service.
Talk to a Clé specialist and find the best solution for your case.
