White on White restoration allows 'the artist's work to shine'

If Elizabeth Jablonski does her work properly, no one will ever see it.

"That's the point," said Jablonski.

"I find that to be very satisfying. I really want the artist's work to shine, not my work."

Jablonski is in the midst of a months-long project to restore White on White, a painting by Ronald Bloore that hung in the Confederation Centre concourse in Charlottetown from 1967 to 2003. The painting comes from a period when Bloore was exploring painting without colour, instead exploring texture and the play of light across a canvas.

It came down so repairs could be made to the skylight above it, and wasn't put back up because the accumulation of decades of dirt.

"It was, I think, so dirty that it looked uncared for, and that was part of the decision in taking it down," said gallery director Kevin Rice.

After 15 years in storage, restoration work has begun on the painting. Jablonski applies a water-based solution that dissolves the grime but doesn't harm the oil paints below, then carefully wipes the grime away.

"[It's] revealing some of the gloss and some of the matte areas that seem to be what the artist intended. It does take a lot of patience. It may not be for everyone but I enjoy it," she said.

"I also find it makes the artist's intention more clear. With the dirt and grime on it it's more visually active. Once that's cleaned away it calms it down and puts it in perspective."

Jablonski said apart from the dirt, inevitable after decades on public display, the painting is in very good condition.

Her work will take another two months, and after that Rice said it will be re-installed at the entrance to the gallery.

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With files from Island Morning