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from the issue of August 18, 2005
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Grant Funds Power Sculpture Rehab
BY TROY FEDDERSON, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Armed with a pressure washer, a blowtorch, acrylic paint, a vat of wax and other tools of the trade, Nathan Otterson has spent the last three weeks protecting prized sculptures positioned in the Sheldon Sculpture Gardens.
| | Nathan Otterson, a specialist from the Upper Midwest Conservation Association in Minneapolis, applies water color to "Floating Figure" in the Sheldon Sculpture Gardens earlier this month. A federal grant coupled with local matching funds is allowing the museum to renovate six outdoor sculptures. Photo by Troy Fedderson/University Communications.
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The work is being funded through a $50,000 grant from the federal Institute for Museum and Library Services. Coupled with matching-funds support from the Schweser Endowment Fund for Conservation at the University of Nebraska Foundation and members of the Nebraska Art Association, the initiative has a budget of $121,000.
"Work of this sort has not really been done since the sculpture gardens started in 1963," said Shannan Kelly, collections manager for the museum. "Any time you put something outside it is going to deteriorate. And, a grant of this scope is going to help us extend the life of these sculptures."
Otterson, a specialist from the Upper Midwest Conservation Association in Minneapolis, identified the six sculptures as high priorities during a survey in 2004. Those sculptures are "Willy" by Tony Smith; "SANDY: in Defined Space" by Richard McDermott Miller; "Nanticoke" by Robert Murray; "Floating Figure" by Gaston Lachaise; "Greenpoint" by Richard Serra; and "Fragment X-O" by Juan Hamilton.
All work done on the sculptures - which mainly consisted of removal and reapplication of a protective wax layer - was approved by the sculptors or their estates.
The most extensive rehabilitation was done on Willy, with layers of paint stripped to bare metal, removal of rust and application of the original paint color.
Otterson said the most challenging work was removal of wax from "Greenpoint." He said the sculpture was not meant to be waxed, but the barrier had been mistakenly added a few years ago.
Along with the rehabilitation, Otterson is also working with the Sheldon staff on how to care for the sculptures in the future.
"It is invaluable for us to have an expert on outdoor sculpture come in and educate us on proper upkeep," Kelly said. "Nathan will get these to a level where we can maintain and extend the life of our prized sculptures."
Otterson said his work coupled with proper maintenance would protect the sculptures for at least 15 years.
Kelly said Otterson would finish his work sometime this week, and then return in September to complete conservation of "Nanticoke" and "Fragment X-O", which will be moved from in front of the Lied Center to the sculpture gardens.
GO TO: ISSUE OF AUGUST 18
ARTS HEADLINES FOR AUGUST 18
Grant Funds Power Sculpture Rehab
American Life in Poetry
Dark, light childhood movies play at Ross
Piano event begins Sept. 6
Single event tickets for Lied's new season on sale
732176S34813X
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