Plasticized PVC and minced mutton meat in an Artwork by Dieter Roth – challenges in understanding its aging behavior through scientific studies

The following study has been done as part of a Diploma-Thesis which deals with the Conservation and Restoration of the Artwork POEMETRIE (1968), by Dieter Roth.
Scientific investigations were carried out to understand the aging behavior of the involved materials, namely plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) (p-PVC) and minced mutton meat.
The object itself is a book, consisting of a p-PVC plate as book cover and transparent p-PVC bags as pages. The bags are printed from the outside, while being stuffed with minced mutton. Due to plasticizer migration, fat diffusion and leakage, the texts floats in and on a sticky brownish surface layer and is at massive risk of being lost.
Scientific investigations were carried out on the object for the identification-characterization of its main materials and degradation products but also on artificial accelerated thermally aged p-PVC-based models. The influence of factors such as soling, meat, and fat was considered in the p-PVC-based models, in order to understand the main mechanism of ageing. Further investigations were done on surface cleaning with a focus on the use of surfactants.