Technological Aspects of Using Modified Gypsum Mixtures in Monumental and Decorative Art

Bohdan Bovt

Citation: Bohdan Bovt, "Technological Aspects of Using Modified Gypsum Mixtures in Monumental and Decorative Art", Universal Library of Innovative Research and Studies, Volume 02, Issue 04.

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

The article examines the transformation of gypsum from a traditional binder into a controllable composite material for monumental and decorative art against the backdrop of its centuries-long use and contemporary performance constraints. The study’s relevance lies in the demand for large-format, highly cantilevered reliefs operating under complex climatic and environmental conditions; therefore, the research aims to identify technological principles for the use of modified gypsum mixtures in this field. The methodological basis is an interdisciplinary synthesis of materials science and art-technological data, which enabled the development of a typology of polymer, hydrophobic, filled, fibrous, and organomineral modifications of gypsum and their correlation with the requirements of large-scale relief. The scientific novelty lies in conceptualizing gypsum as a designed composite with a controlled trajectory of strength, crack resistance, moisture resistance, density, and rheology, as well as in developing an original stepwise algorithm for the work of the bas-relief artist, linking the choice of mixture, application technology, and curing regimes to the life cycle of the artwork. It is demonstrated that a combination of polymer additives, light and functional fillers, dispersed reinforcement, and rheology-active components enables deliberate reduction of element mass, enhancement of the operational reliability of reliefs, and expansion of the working window of mix plasticity. The article is intended for monumental artists, conservators, and technologists working with gypsum and other decorative composites.


Keywords: Gypsum, Modified Gypsum Mixtures, Monumental and Decorative Art, Polymer Modification, Fiber Reinforcement, Bas-Relief.

Download doi https://doi.org/10.70315/uloap.ulirs.2025.0204017