Technology meets art: SDU research featured in 'Lundstrøm's Eternal Blue' exhibition at Brandts
A new exhibition at Brandts Art Museum in Odense sheds light on painter Vilhelm Lundstrøm's working methods and his distinctive use of blue colours, thanks partly to research from NanoSYD at the Faculty of Engineering.
In a world where brushstrokes meet pixel data and colour pigments are revealed by advanced technology, Brandts Art Museum in Odense has taken the stage with a unique exhibition. "Lundstrøm's Eternal Blue," which opened on May 9, 2024, casts new light on Danish painter Vilhelm Lundstrøm's working methods and characteristic use of blue hues.
The exhibition results from an innovative collaboration between the art museum, Newtec Engineering A/S, the Vejle Conservation Center, and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), where art and technology have come together to uncover hidden layers of the artist's works.
Researchers have used hyperspectral technology and other advanced analytical methods to uncover details about Lundstrøm's paintings that were previously invisible to the naked eye. Hyperspectral cameras, developed by Newtec Engineering A/S, have made it possible to identify and analyze the pigments in Lundstrøm's paintings without damaging them.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Through funding from the TORCH project, partially financed by Interreg Deutschland-Denmark and the EU, researchers from SDU in Sønderborg have contributed their expertise.
"It is rare for our research to be exhibited in a museum, so it brings a smile to our faces. Moreover, it is extremely satisfying to see how the synergy between our fields has helped develop the exhibition into what it is today," says Jacek Fiutowski, Associate Professor at the Mads Clausen Institute at SDU and leader of the TORCH project. He elaborates:
"The main aim of TORCH is to use technology to preserve art and cultural heritage and make it more accessible and attractive to the general public. I truly believe we succeeded in that with this exhibition."
New insights into Lundstrøm's methods
Using hyperspectral scans, researchers have revealed that Lundstrøm experimented with different blue pigments, such as ultramarine, cobalt blue, and Prussian blue. These analyses have also identified modern, synthetic pigments like copper phthalocyanine PB15 in some of his works from the 1940s.
Museum visitors now have the opportunity to experience these technological discoveries firsthand, including trying out hyperspectral scanners and viewing examples of colour slices from Lundstrøm's paintings.
A glimpse of the future
At the "Lundstrøm's Eternal Blue" exhibition, guests can see how advanced technology provides new insights into the artist's process and the layers of chaos underlying the finished harmonious works.
"The new, comprehensive picture we get of Lundstrøm's working method shows that although he strived for painterly harmony, the path to it was more chaotic and searching than we can see with the naked eye," explains museum curator Ellen Egemose.
This interdisciplinary approach to art and technology at Brandts Art Museum exemplifies how collaboration between engineers, conservators, and art historians can lead to groundbreaking discoveries and preserve our cultural heritage for future generations.
You can read more about the exhibition here: Brandts Art Museum