Best Bronze Protection

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‘Whale Dance’ by Jim Sardonis, July 2019, bronze with dark patina, 16’ x 12’, Randolph, VT. Photo by Lelonie Oatway.
‘Whale Dance’ by Jim Sardonis, July 2019, bronze with dark patina, 16’ x 12’, Randolph, VT. Photo by Lelonie Oatway.

Why Coat Bronze

Don't use wax on outdoor sculpture. And here's the research-based reasons why. I list the research at the end of this article, and full disclosure: I receive no remuneration whatsoever for any products referenced in this article.

First a little history. The use of wax with bronze has a long tradition. Archaeological evidence of the 'hot-wax' technique for creating bronze jewelry dates back as far as the first evidence of bronze itself - around 3500 BC. So I imagine that it wasn't too long before someone noticed how nice a bronze statue or pendant looks when polished with wax, and how it protects against fingerprints and weather. This is just a theory, but regardless of how it started, the use of wax to coat metal sculpture, particularly bronze, started long ago and continues today.

The Trouble With Wax

I've used wax myself on sculptures, such as traditional hot wax coating for outdoor bronze, and Renaissance Wax for indoor sculpture. Since most of my work involves outdoor sculpture, I wanted to know just how durable wax is. To my surprise research shows that wax lasts only a few months on outdoor sculpture. Furthermore, the development of new bronze coatings such as polymers protect longer, are easier to apply, and dramatically reduce the cost of maintenance.

So about 10 years ago and after thorough research I began using a polymer known as Everbrite. Though it's a proprietary blend, its ingredients include polymers which seem to me to be similar, if not identical, to Paraloid B44 which has extensive research. We also know that Everbrite has UV-protecting ingredients and a low VOC.  After 10 years of use, I continue to find advanced polymers such as Everbrite the best choice for outdoor bronze protection. Here's why.

The Advantage of Polymer

First, let's talk about application. Polymers are much easier to apply. Simply brush it on, and anyone can do it with careful attention to temperature, drippiness, and a very clean surface. If the bronze surface is too hot the polymer will streak rather than self-level. If it's too humid, the polymer will not stick properly and blister over time. And it's such a thin - very low viscosity - substance you need to watch out for dripping. Most importantly - because I learned this the hard way - the surface must be very clean especially of any previous wax coatings or the polymer will blister and peel within a couple years.

In contrast, wax application is difficult and time consuming, aka, more expensive. Wax has to be applied hot which requires an experienced conservator. Additionally, before applying wax, old coatings have to be removed and the surface cleaned. With Everbrite as mentioned above, yes, any dirt and previous wax has to be meticulously removed, but when it comes time to recoat Everbrite - anywhere from 5 to 10 years - previous coats do not need to be removed. Just recoat over the old coat. It 'self- anneals', meaning it chemically bonds to the previous coat. This is a huge plus over wax - anyone can do it, no expensive application, no expensive maintenance - meaning tremendous cost savings for our clients.

And cleaning a polymer coating is a much easier process of simply wiping with water and cloth.

Now let's look at another benefit of polymer, protection. Only in the last couple of decades have we developed the technology to determine just how long wax lasts. Research conclusively shows that even the best quality wax doesn't last as long as we thought and polymers last much longer.

How long wax lasts on an outdoor sculpture depends on the weather. We  took it as gospel that wax lasted a year or more when in fact research indicates as little as 3 months in outdoor conditions! It's so variable that wax on one side of a sculpture weathers more than another side. To know just how long wax lasts, you need to test the particular sculpture which is a time-consuming and expensive process. Without such testing it's only a guess how long wax is protecting an outdoor sculpture. And here is the real danger: if your wax application lasts only several months, the harsh acids of bird droppings, acid rain, and pine pitch can damage and discolor a bronze patina before your next annual wax application.

I found that on 3 sculptures located in the harshest outdoor environments (freeze-thaw marine) 2 coats of Everbrite last 4-5 years. In less harsh environments (freeze thaw but not marine) several sculptures I coated in Everbrite are still showing no signs of wear after 7 years.

And all polymers are reversable with solvent. Any solvent will do, though xylene does not evaporate quickly so it's able to break down the polymer coating more effectively than other quick-drying solvents. But xylene, like all solvents, is harmful especially to lungs and skin so protection is critical. By the way, any solvent will not harm the common hard chemical patinas applied to bronze sculptures in the foundry. Solvent will remove painted patinas.

Everbrite also provides UV and anti-oxidant protection, and does not yellow. Frankly, I think it's simply nonsense to ever use wax again on outdoor sculpture.

Assessing Different Polymers

I rely on the US Park Service and the Getty Conservation Institute for the latest research on best products and practices. Unfortunately they have not yet studied recently-developed polymers. They have studied the earliest ones (Incralac and Permalac) developed in the 60's which they found superior to wax.

By the way, when you search for polymers you will find many other terms - acrylic polymer, synthetic polymer, acrylic resin, lacquer - all of these terms refer to a particular kind of polymer so to keep it simple I'm calling them polymers.

Incralac was the first. Improved coatings followed with Permalac. Everbrite was developed in 1990. Now there are many. I've used Everbrite for the last 10 years with excellent results.

According to Getty research, Incralac lasts a little over a year in the harshest environments, but top-coats of wax can extend its life up to 3 years. This wax coat means that when it comes time to apply a new coat of Incralac, the wax needs to be thoroughly removed. Permalac last 3-5 years with 4 coats. Everbrite lasts 5-10 years with 2 coats and does not need to be removed when it comes times to recoat. All the latest polymers provide UV protection, self-anneal, and self-level.

Everbrite provides any gradation of satin or matte finish desired. Permalac now comes in a satin finish but as of this writing (2025) no gradations. A cautionary note: the method of coating Incralac with wax was developed by the Getty Institute to improve its durability and provide a wax look. I've just heard of a conservator who uses this technique on Everbrite, that is, coating Everbrite with wax. First, this does not in any way improve the surfaces of the latest polymers including Everbrite. And second, the wax will have to be thoroughly removed before applying a new coat which uselessly increases maintenance costs.

Surprisingly - and happily! - I've also found that Everbrite on bronze helps protect against graffiti - more about this in the case study below.

For cost, protection, and ease of application I prefer Everbrite.

The Downside

One criticism of polymer is that it cracks and peels allowing water to seep in and discolor the bronze surface. Yes, I have seen this and it's entirely caused by not thoroughly cleaning the surface before coating. Often this is wax residue from a previous treatment. I've made this mistake myself and learned the hard lesson which I repeat for emphasis: thoroughly clean the surface of bronze before applying any polymer. When cleaned properly I have not seen any cracks or blisters or peeling in dozens of applications.

Another criticism is that it's too shiny or just doesn't produce the same look as wax. This was true for early versions, but not any more. Everbrite, for instance, comes in any shade of satin or mat finish desired. In fact, the case study presented below is an example of just such a test of many different shades before the artist found the perfect match for the original wax look that he preferred (1/4 matte).

A downside of any polymer is that it darkens verdigris. But I found a solution for those who wish to preserve the beautiful shades of green oxidation on their sculpture. I apply a faux-verdigris by painting the polymer coated bronze surface with acrylic pigments to match the original bright verdigris. Then I coat the acrylics with another coat of Everbrite - polymer does not darken color-fast acrylic paints. The verdigris look is preserved and the sculpture is protected.

verdigris look to an outdoor bronze sculpture

Final Thoughts

One drawback is that any polymer is solvent-based so it's flammable and can irritate skin, eyes, and lungs. Thus, gloves, respirator, and eye protection must be used. Some plastic containers and brush bristles will melt on contact with these polymers, so I use metal containers and natural-hair brushes, available at any hardware store.

The final comparison is expense. When you think about all the issues mentioned above, polymer is dramatically easier to use and less expensive than wax.

Case Study: Coating 'Whale Dance' - Do's and Don'ts

I most enjoy working on sculpture when I can work with the artist.

Bob Hannum and Jim Sardonis

Bob Hannum and Jim Sardonis

This job was just that. I met the sculptor Jim Sardonis when he asked me to remove graffiti from one of his sculptures. He then asked me to clean and coat this wonderful 16' tall bronze sculpture.

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The first step was a close inspection and estimate of what the job required. That done, I asked the artist if he preferred a product for coating his sculpture. This is a touchy question because Jim no longer owns it. It was purchased for permanent public display. Thus, Jim doesn't really have any say in this, though recent laws give artists some control over their art even after they sell it. Nonetheless, any decent conservator wants to know and respect an artist's wishes when reasonable. And like most sculptors, Jim preferred wax, but after I presented the wax versus polymer issue, Jim decided to try a polymer.

Polymer is particularly protective in the harsh freeze-thaw weather cycles we have here in Vermont and throughout New England. Acid rain, bird droppings, salt, and pine needles add an extra degree of stress on the surface of metal sculpture. Wax lasts only a few months in these conditions. Polymer last years.

Getting Started

Next we worked on a perfect shade to match a wax look. I applied several small test patches of different degrees of satin and matte. Jim settled on a final selection as we stayed six feet apart to adhere to our state's Covid-19 precautions at the time. The final selection turned out to be 1/4 of a standard matte chemical mixture. We also tested brush versus wipe. The coating takes only 20 minutes to dry to the touch and 60 minutes between coats.

I cleaned the sculpture surface of all the old wax and accumulated dirt using the solvent xylene - any solvent does not harm the patina, but xylene does not immediately evaporate.

I applied two coats of the custom-mixed Everbrite that Jim chose. The first coat sealed small cracks and pits.

Final Results

More and more conservators now use polymer coatings. This is the best recommendation of all since the conservation industry is quite careful. Conservators are not known for using products such as polymers that are 'only' 30 years in use!

This particular coating restored a new look identical to the original dark brown wax-coated bronze patina.

No maintenance is required other than wiping with a cotton cloth and tap water. Most of the time, rain water washes away most dirt. When the coating began to fade five years later, I simply reapplied 2 new coats without removing the old. Anyone with painting experience can do it.

I find that hear in New England, Everbrite begins to need a new coat in 5 years.  Polymers are so durable that I offer a five-year warranty to all my clients.

Oh, and one more thing - a surprising result. Polymer coating reduces the damage of graffiti! Everbrite is easy to scratch so most graffiti 'artists' are satisfied with scratching the polymer and not the patina below. So the fix becomes quite easy, simply apply another coat of polymer and the scratch disappears. The Everbrite people now make a harder coating called Protecta Clear which I will try on areas where kids like to climb - their shoes scratch off the Everbrite as well as the patina. I'll let you know how this goes in future updates.

graffiti
Repaired graffiti

References

1. Latest European study on wax, 2002, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303158807_Protect_our_European_outdoor_bronze_monuments_Good_Practice_Guide_Culture_2000

2. Assessing the Protective Quality of Wax Coatings on Bronze Sculptures Using Hydrogel Patches in Impedance Measurements, 2016, Downloadable PDF at www.mdpi.com P. 10 - polymers are more protective than all waxes tested.

3. Latest research abstracts on polymer coatings for bronze, 2020 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222801665_Developing_and_testing_a_new_generation_of_protective_coatings_for_outdoor_bronze_sculpture

4. More research, 2019, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300944018309743

5. Latest GCI Research: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/

6. Anecdotal comparison of Everbrite and Incralac: https://www.everbritecoatings.com/public-art

7. Latest CGI bronze restoration: http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/revitalizing-barbara-hepworths-figure-for-landscape/

8. Latest National Park Service research: https://ncptt.nps.gov/blog/ndsu-outdoor-bronze/

9. Latest Getty Research: Incralac vs Permalac: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/viewer.html?pdfurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.getty.edu%2Fmuseum%2Fconservation%2Fdecorativearts_and_sculpture%2Fimages%2Fdasc_featuredproject_sculpture.pdf&clen=596502

Restoration of Works on Paper

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Three Hundred Drawings Re-Framed

About the Artist

The environmental artist and architect Michael Singer, commissioned Arts Management Services LLC to inspect, restore, and re-frame all of his works on paper – collages, etchings, and prints.

This multi-year project involved nearly three hundred works of art ranging in age from his first pieces from the early 1970’s to his newest work. Some were in poor condition without acid free materials. Some had never been matted or framed before. 

Restoration

Each was carefully taken apart. Frames – iron, steel, and aluminum – were cleaned, reconditioned, lacquer-coated, or replaced. All frames were custom-made. Special aged-iron frames were carefully cleaned of rust spots and coated with two layers of satin-finish lacquer, while preserving their antique iron look. Frame screws were replaced to match the frame color and finish.

All backing that was not acid-free, foam core, or blemish-free was replaced. All mats were carefully inspected and replaced when needed by 8-ply cotton rag archival museum board. This 8-ply mat was hand-cut with no over-cuts at the corners. I used a special bone implement to finish the cut edges as per standard art framing practices.

I used archival acid-free glue with hand-made Japanese rice paper hinges. In addition to hinging at the top as is usual, sometimes the sides were also hinged when the weight of the artwork was an issue. Acid-free paper was folded into triangles and applied to the bottom corners of all artwork to protect it from damage during handling and transport, should it ever come unhinged.

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Some drawings needed to be carefully cleaned of bugs, dust, and mold. The artist was consulted before removing any blemishes to be certain that such marks were not part of the artwork.

Fixative was re-applied to surfaces without disturbing delicate elements such as copper foil, oil stick, chalk, pencil, and charcoal.

Many collage works required hand-made spacers between the mat and the Plexiglas to create space and separation so that the artwork does not touch the Plexiglas surface – a particular issue for this artist whose works often involve layers of paper as much as 5/8″ thick.

Conservation

Some works were large with dimensions as much as 3′ x 8′ and weighing nearly 100 pounds.

All original museum and gallery labels on the back of each piece were carefully removed and re-affixed to the reconditioned works.

Scratched and smudged Plexiglas surfaces were cleaned and repaired or custom cut and replaced.

Finally, all artworks were recorded in detail as part of a larger project to register all of the artist’s lifetime of artwork, installations, exhibitions, and sales including hundreds of drawings and sculpture.

Sculpture Restoration at Becton, Dickinson and Company

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Thirty-Year-Old Sculpture

From March 1 thru 11, 2019, my son William and I restored a 30-year-old in-ground sculpture entitled "Atrium Garden" by Michael Singer. It took us 11 long days. Now It's good for another 30 years!

I was also part of the team that originally installed it in the world headquarters of Becton, Dickinson and Company. After 30 years this sculpture of pine and stone needed serious TLC. The original construction was comprised of wood units made of 2x4's enclosed with ½'' plywood.

Why PT Was Not Originally Used

Pressure treated wood (PT) products first became popular in the 70's, but by the mid-80's when we constructed this sculpture, research indicated that the chemicals used were too toxic for indoor use. It wasn't until the 90's that safer chemicals were used in the production of PT products. Thus, we did not use PT. Instead, we coated the outside plywood with tar and plastic as a safe and effective alternative for protecting the wood from contact with plant irrigation and moist soil.

It held up well, but after 30 years the plastic eroded and the ply rotted. The rot was so extensive that in many places only a sheet of tar remained. The plywood on the visible side of the sculpture was coated with glue and dirt to give the impression of dirt walls as in an excavation. These were in good shape except for the bottom 2" or so where moist dirt created rot. Most of the supporting 2x4's were also pock-marked with rot.

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Each hole is about five and a half feet deep with a concrete floor that we covered with dirt to look like an excavation. Under the plants are about a foot of gravel and topsoil. Filling the remaining space between the floor and the soil were layers of thick 4" rigid foam.

Interestingly, we expected to find small lizards and spiders which we spotted at times during the yearly maintenance visits throughout the past years. We encountered none.

A Dirty Job

The contents of each hole were removed - wood structures and large stones. A manual crane was used to remove the stones which were too heavy to lift by hand. Each structure was rebuilt with pressure-treated plywood. Outdoor-grade latex paint and 35-year latex caulk were applied to the seams and bare wood to match the color of the surrounding dirt. Outdoor-grade decking screws were used at all times.

Then each 'dirt wall' made of plywood and 2x4's was removed and rebuilt. Old ply and 2x4's were replaced with PT. Sheets of thick plastic were placed as an extra protective barrier between the dirt and plants and the new structures. Finally, the wood and stone elements were placed back into their holes.

Challenges

The long days were due to the challenges presented by our location. We stayed at a comfortable hotel only 10 minutes away from the BD campus. We started each day leisurely with a nice hot breakfast and drive over to BD in William's truck by 10am each morning. We estimated 16 days for this project if we worked straight thru with no days off. We couldn't make loud noise from hammers, saws, or vacuums during business hours. So, we used this time to purchase supplies and prepare everything we needed so that once 6pm arrived we were ready for a loud and intense 3 or 4 more hours of work.

Keeping It Safe

Employees were working and walking near us throughout each day. As a result, we were very careful to keep our worksite clean, organized, and safe. We placed safety cones and air filters all around the worksite. The polished granite and marble floors surrounding the sculpture were protected at all times with moving blankets and thick plastic sheet. And of course, we had to watch our language when faced with the occasional frustrating moment!

About BD

BD is the world's largest producer of medical supplies. Their many inventions include the syringe, thermometer, ace bandage, and the black leather doctor's bag, to name just a few. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs nearly 50,000 people in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The founders, Maxwell Becton and Fairleigh Dickinson were also collectors of art. In 1986 work began to create a new campus in Franklin Lakes, NJ. New buildings feature large work spaces with natural light and beautiful art.

Award-Winning Architecture

The architects Kallmann, McKinnell & Wood envisioned a Tuscan villa-style design. The campus is stately buildings set among rolling hills made of mahogany, polished stone, and copper. Their design achieved every major architectural award. The chief architect, Michael McKinnell, placed large atriums within each building and commissioned the sculptor Michael Singer to create two large indoor sculptures and another large outdoor one. Singer and McKinnell became friends and collaborated on subsequent artworks and architectural designs.

Lost Energy

After about the sixth long and hard day, and only half done, we'd had it! My son William and I were feeling a bit down and out with no end in sight. So, we called in our friend Al Chapman to lift our spirits and lighten our load. He works with us on many large projects, and he was just what we needed! His skill, energy, and good humor got us back on track with renewed enthusiasm. Suddenly, the project was finished and we were ecstatic!

Bronze Conservation in Havana

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American Eagle Restoration in Havana Cuba

My trip to Havana was the most fascinating to date! I was sent by the Office of Cultural Heritage of the US State Dept to wax a large bronze eagle with an amazing history. I was there for just a week, but it was one of the most interesting places I've ever visited!

The roads are dominated by cars from the '50's and 60's, and most look like new! The people are genuinely kind and friendly even to Americans despite the difficult Cuban economy, difficulty that the US has exacerbated.

Though Cuban citizens have free education, medical care, and retirement with no visible poverty, drug problem or prostitution, the $35 per month salary for each citizen lasts about half the month. Everyone gets the same pay whether you're a neurosurgeon or a housekeeper. What makes it work is a robust black market and 'remittances.'

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Here's how it works as told to me by a local resident. She works at the local water department. Each week she brings home a 5-gallon jug of spring water. It's not considered stealing - she can't take more. Similarly, her neighbor works at the local bakery and brings home several loaves of bread at the end of his work week. Other neighbors 'collect' other items. Each neighbor knows who has what, and they all barter their goods and services.

Remittances refers to money that US and other foreign relatives send to their families in Cuba each month supplementing nearly every Cuban household with an extra hundred dollars or two.

This system, though burdensome, seems to make ends meet and people seem genuinely unstressed about it, though I noticed a lack of efficiency at the airport as my colleague and I waited an hour for our bags. Fascinating.

Equally fascinating is the story of the bronze eagle I went to work on.

The story begins in 1898 when the USS Maine, an American naval ship, exploded and sank in Havana Harbor. The event led to the Spanish-American War and the end of Spanish rule in Cuba. "Remember the Maine' became a famous battle cry.

The explosion killed 260 of the Maine's 400 sailors. What caused the explosion remains a mystery. Some say the ship hit a Spanish mine. Others say Cubans did it to draw the US into helping them expel their Spanish occupiers. Others maintain that powerful US business interests had a hand in it, to open up the island to business development. Still others say the munitions in the ship accidentally exploded.

As a result, Congress declaring war with Spain on April 25, 1898. The war lasted 4 months resulting in Cuban independence.

Original bronze eagle from the USS Maine

Original bronze eagle - note the outstretched flat wings

A grateful Cuban government commissioned a monument to honor those who died in the explosion. It was dedicated in 1926 and located on the harbor.

But within a few months a hurricane blew the bronze eagle off the top. It fell to the ground and broke apart. A new bronze eagle was commissioned with a more aerodynamic design - upraised wings instead of flat - to withstand future storms. The original eagle disappeared.

Second bronze eagle

second bronze eagle - note the aerodynamic wings

In 1959, the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro, ousted the authoritarian government of Batista along with his US supporters and business interests. The second eagle was torn down from the top of the monument in 1961 around the time of the Bay of Pigs invasion. It is now displayed in the Havana City History Museum, but only the body and wings, not the head! The museum exhibit and empty monument stand today as symbols of Cuba's resistance to 'American Imperialism.'

Cuban monument to the USS Maine as it stands today

USS Maine monument in Cuba as it stands today

The head was somehow acquired by the Swiss government which was appointed the caretaker of the US Embassy and ambassador's residence when the US was ousted by Castro. The Swiss presented the bronze eagle head to the returning US Ambassador when relations warmed in 2014. It is now displayed in the US Embassy in Havana.

Meanwhile, the first bronze eagle, the one blown off by a hurricane and broken, mysteriously reappeared!

In 1954 it was repaired and presented to the US Ambassador in Havana by a group of Cuban and American business people "...who saw in its indestructibility a symbol of the enduring friendship between their countries." How they acquired it was never divulged, presumably to avoid any offense toward or undue attention from the Cuban government. Then in 2011, the US State Department commissioned Milner and Carr Conservation LLC of Philadelphia - now Materials Conservation Collaborative - to repair the original cracks caused by its hurricane tumble in 1926. It is now displayed in the back yard of the ambassador's residence.

I was asked to inspect the conservation work and do a thorough waxing. It's in good condition with some oxidation underneath the feet of the eagle. I used butcher paste wax since the preferred product, carnauba wax, is not available in Havana and difficult to ship. Cleaning and waxing took 1 long day. I'll be back in the future to coat it with a much longer lasting coating specially developed for bronze sculpture and now the treatment of choice for outdoor metal sculpture.

I'd like to call your attention to a fascinating response from a reader. And not just any reader! Her father was the US Ambassador to Cuba (Ambassador Willard L. Beaulac) from 1951 to 1953. Ms. Beaulac Zachor shares wonderful memories of Havana. I quote her generous comments with her gracious permission. A truly wonderful read!

September 23, 2018
As described by Mr. Hannum, this bronze eagle was blown off his perch on top of the Maine monument in the 1920s. He was already installed in the US embassy residence garden when my father was US ambassador to Cuba from 1951 to 1953 (regardless of the date on that plaque). The tale told in Havana during those years, was that when the eagle was blown off the monument he landed on the ground facing north, sending the world a signal that he wished to travel to the US. In deference to the eagle's wishes, he was taken to the US embassy residence garden which, under international law, is considered to be US territory. I loved that version of how our eagle came to guard our garden.

The lovely bronze statue was snuggled up against a back wall of the residence and surrounded by enough greenery as to render the small area around him a private, shady spot where I sometimes sat for hours, enjoying the most pleasant reading experiences of my 80 years. From the photos above I can see that he's been moved from that leafy and cozy location to an open, sunny spot of clipped hedges and hard-surfaced paths.

When next we have a US ambassador with children living at our residence in Havana, I hope the children will enjoy the presence of this beautiful bird in their garden as much as I did.

Thank you, Bob Hannum, for giving our dear eagle the care that is needed to preserve his splendid appearance, and for writing this article.

Joan Beaulac Zachor

 

October 2, 2018
Dear Ms. Beaulac Zachor,

Thank you immensely for sharing your recollections on my website. Beautifully told. Please please tell me more and may I add your words to my article? May I mention your name? I will not reveal where you live, for your security and privacy.
 
I would just love to hear more about your recollections of Havana and of your father's work there. Do you retain any connections to Cuba after all this time? Have you ever returned?
 
Interestingly, I was so taken by the beauty of the residence and the grounds and the kindness of the local people who take great pride in caring for it, that I asked to stay there instead of a hotel next time I return and to my surprise and delight that was approved. But alas it will be a while before I get back given our present administration and the alarming sonic experiences of several American visitors and employees last fall.
 
The local people that I met were just wonderful to me - I was very surprised. As a contractor for the State Dept I am briefed before traveling to difficult places. So I went to Havana full of warnings and cautionary tales as you can imagine. But my experience was nothing but warm and friendly and safe.
 
I was fascinated by the day-to-day economics of barter and remittances and store shelves stocked with only a few items at a time. The strangest part of it is that it all seemed to work! People did not seem unhappy in general unless I was misreading.
 
So please take a moment when you can to share more of anything you remember about that time.
 
All the best,
Bob
October 9. 2018
Dear Mr. Hannum,
Thank you for your kind words about my note. I so enjoyed your article about attending to our beautiful eagle at the embassy and happy that you included a photo of him on the monument to the Maine, his first perch in Havana. I would be flattered if you added what I wrote in response. I've attached a few words here about my Havana of 65 years ago. I haven't returned for a visit but I would love to. I agree that our residence and gardens in Havana are beautiful. I don't suppose I have much to add about the residence that might interest you. But I can tell a little about living there, from a young girl's perspective, that you might enjoy.

Like most of the grand houses in Country Club Park the residence had (almost) no air conditioning in the early fifties when we lived there. Its thick walls of Jaimanita stone and deep porches kept it well protected from the tropical sun, and its great tall windows and doors allowed the breezes through when opened. At some time air conditioning had been added to some of the larger upstairs rooms. My mother turned hers on from time to time and put on a sweater but it looked a little silly.

My sister, Noël, and I would catch little drifts of music at night through our open bedroom windows from an area with lively nightlife a mile or two away that would have been fun to visit. But young daughters of diplomats didn't. Some nights I'd curl up on a couch in the first floor library (my favorite room with shelves and shelves of books) and nudge the needle back and forth across the dial of our Grundig radio catching bits of news or music from Miami. We'd not been able to tune in to US stations from Paraguay or Colombia where we'd lived before, and now in Havana, it was a happy treat when a station came through for long enough to play an entire song. I fell in love with the voice of Nat King Cole.

A wide hallway with cork flooring ran the length of the upstairs. It muffled the sound of our footsteps when we wore shoes and felt lovely -- almost cozy--under our bare feet. At one end of the hallway, near my mother's room, was an elevator and at the other end was a suite that we called "the presidential suite." The story told was that the elevator was included when the residence was constructed in 1941 with the expectation that President Roosevelt would be visiting from time to time. And the presidential suite had been tailored to accommodate his wheelchair. President Roosevelt died four years after the residence was completed and never did visit there, but our house guests enjoyed hearing that they were staying in his suite. Unhappily for my mother, my sister and I used to tease her by forcing open the outer doors of the president's elevator trapping her between floors. She bore it well.

Havana is in the tropics and there were a good number of bugs inside the house and outside. I visited the principal kitchen only twice. By day it was a lovely, busy space with Chef Sylvester reigning over his space in a marvelous hat that had to be a foot tall, while his second in command, Luís, in a less imposing hat, attended to beautiful vegetables laid out on large tables. A couple others who might have been staff or grocers looked quite pleased to be doing whatever it was they were doing, and curious to know why we were there. The second time I visited the kitchen was at night. Dark shiny creatures scurried across the floor when we turned on the lights, and disappeared into cracks and small spaces. The huge refrigerators were secured with padlocks so that enjoying a bit of ice cream or leftover soufflé at bedtime was an impossible dream.

Across the hallway from our bedroom (I shared a bedroom with Noël) was a wide open room, and broad balcony overlooking the simplest and prettiest part of the garden. This room was where we ate our breakfast. Our orange juice most often arrived from the kitchen with a barely visible number of minuscule ants trailing up the side of the glass and a few floating inside. It was nearly impossible to scoop them out. They were so, so very small that we simply drank our juice, tiny floating beings and all. Sometimes at night, my sister and I would turn on the lights in the pool and go swimming. We'd run on tiptoes down the path from the house trying to avoid the creatures that gathered on the warm surface after sundown. Occasionally a scorpion, but always tarantulas would fall into the pool at night, and they'd end up trapped in the gutter that ran around the edge of the pool. We'd grab onto the gutter after swimming across the pool or swimming underwater, but never were bitten.

At the rear of the property, behind a wall of tall hedge, was a good-sized kitchen garden where there was always something one could pick from a tree or bush or pull from the ground to nibble on, even if it was just a green onion. Our avocado trees were too beautiful to conceal behind a hedge and were planted in the landscaped portion of the garden. At Christmas the household servants would dig a pit in a corner of the kitchen garden and take most of a day to roast an entire pig there. Our family didn't join in the pig roast but my parents engaged in gift-giving for the household and their children each year, at a gathering inside, around our Christmas tree.

Country Club Park was at a higher elevation than its surrounding neighborhoods. On Sunday mornings the family attended mass in a small church at the bottom of the hill, and we'd ride down in our family-owned non-limousine with my father at the wheel. He was a terrible driver and my mother would come close to hysterics as he hurtled toward a tiny, single-lane bridge near the bottom of the hill. He'd still be chuckling as he parked our '52 Buick Dynaflow and got out. Inside, on summery mornings, the church felt quite pleasant as everyone settled into their pews. Then the air would get warmer while the church got fuller, the men's guayaberas would wilt damply, and the señoras would fan themselves vigorously. The sound of the fans striking their bosoms was quite wonderful.

My siblings and I attended Ruston Academy, a school that offered a choice of programs in English or Spanish, geared to those students who would be attending college in the US and those who would attend university in Cuba. The English classes were housed in a wonderful, slightly worn colonial building with two somewhat weathered courtyards and a long, open porch along one side of the building where we sat at long tables for lunch and study hall periods.  School dances took place in the larger courtyard, and chairs were set up along the perimeter for the Cuban chaperones who sat fanning themselves all evening while watching us dance with an eagle eye. The smaller courtyard had a fountain and a coin-operated coke machine. My sister and I had seen our first coin-operated coke machine on a dock in New York city when we'd arrived there by ship three years earlier, when a very ugly revolution had broken out in Colombia, and I was delighted that we had a machine just like it at school. I loved those ice-cold cokes in their thick glass bottles. (Yes, I'm that old.)

One morning during out first year in Havana, we learned at breakfast that Radio Reloj (a radio station that seemed always to be broadcasting the latest news and time of day somewhere in the back rooms of the residence) had reported that a revolution had occurred just before dawn. Cuba's new president, Fulgencio Batista, had seized power without anyone firing a shot. Batista was already a candidate in the upcoming presidential election, but he was expected to lose. He chose not to wait for the people's vote. Rumour had it that Batista woke the highest fellow in the military holding a gun to his head and demanded "Who is your generalísimo?" and the frightened fellow, still in pajamas, replied, "You are, my general." And so the matter was settled. The newly ex-president, Carlos Prío Socarrás, was escorted to Miami a few days later. I don't know if that's exactly the way Batista pulled it off, but as revolutions go, it was a pretty boring coup. Rubén "Papo" Batista, son of the new president, didn't learn that his father was president (second or third time around, depending on how you count Batista's terms in power) until he heard it at Ruston later that morning.

In 1960, a year after Castro's revolution, Dr. James Baker, headmaster of Ruston Academy in Havana, joined with Monsignor Bryan Walsh in Miami in hatching "Operation Peter Pan," a secret plan that assisted over 14,000 unaccompanied children to flee Cuba. Castro's revolutionary government had announced that the state would take legal control of children over the age of three for purposes of education and indoctrination and many parents who couldn't leave Cuba, themselves, were frantic to get their children off the island. Dr. Baker delivered special visas and sometimes forged documents to families and helped them ship their children to Miami. Most of the Pedro Pan children were eventually reunited with their parents in the United States, but some parents never were able to leave Cuba. The Operation Pedro Pan Group maintains a database and network where Peter Pan adults are able to stay in touch and leave messages to others in their group or with family members. There is a description of Operation Peter Pan at Pedro_Pan_1960

I was happy to have a brief correspondence with Jim Baker in his later years. Although the Castro government had closed his beloved school in 1961, he wrote to me in 1999, that he was still planning for "a new Ruston Academy in the post-Castro era that will build a new, more democratic Cuba." Jim was 92 years old at the time. His son, Chris, created a website for our Ruston Academy family, many of whom have kept in touch with each other, and a Ruston reunion, here in the US, is still held every few years.

Although Batista's revolution of 1952 was less than exciting in my 13-year-old opinion, and although my sister and I were forbidden to attend Havana's famous casinos and night clubs, a few experiences stand out in my memory, not as being extraordinary, but as interesting to me at the time: The first was the opening of a Five and Dime store downtown. It had the first escalator in the country, and crowds of enthusiastic people lined up on the first few days to ride on that marvelous moving stairway. People laughed and chatted their way up and down the stairway and I don't think anyone rode it only once. We also attended a performance of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus when it traveled to Cuba, and I was thrilled to be offered a morsel of bread by Emmett Kelly, a sad-faced clown that my mother had told me was the very best and most original clown in the world with his tragic face and gloomy behavior. I was so taken with his lovely gloominess that I don't remember any of the acts. And we rode the roller coaster on opening day of an amusement park that was reportedly financed by Lucky Luciano (it was no secret that US gangsters financed most of the hotels, clubs, and other entertainment in Havana, including the just opened amusement park). I hadn't ever ridden a roller coaster before, and I was terrified when it began its ascent a second time without allowing its passengers to get off. I was terrified that Mr. Luciano had been careless about the safety of the rides, that the contraption was defective, and that I was going to be killed by a gangster who didn't care who lived or died.

Taking my first sip of banana liqueur in the courtyard of a centuries-old convent, buying coco glacé (coconut ice cream in a coconut shell) on the Malecón, ordering stuffed avocado upstairs at the American Club in Havana's historic section, and eating more than my share of Moro crab claws at cocktail parties at home are my happiest food memories. My nose memories are the smell of leather and alligator hides at the leather shop, the smell of chocolate at the H. Upmann cigar factory where women sat wrapping the very best, supple tobacco leaves around rolls of filler tobacco, and the tiny bottles of French fragrances that my mother bought at the Perfume Factory where sales were transacted in the open under a heavy thatched roof held up, so it seemed, by the tallest, most beautiful Royal Palms I'd ever seen.

A comment on the US Embassy office building downtown. We visited the embassy a number of times when it was being constructed. Each time my father would shake his head and mutter "Dear, dear. Dear, dear." At least half of the outside surface was glass, and when finished would be the most modern building in Havana. The building was nicely situated near the Malecón, Havana's beautiful oceanfront walk. There was a single small balcony, protected by bullet-proof glass, jutting out from my father's office on the fifth floor. Except for my father's exit onto his balcony and the entrances on the first floor, the building was enclosed by windows that were sealed shut, and the sun shone through those windows all day. Once the offices were occupied, the air conditioning wasn't able to keep up with all that tropical sunshine. The building had to be evacuated whenever indoor temperatures became unbearable. The situation would prompt my father to mutter, "Those damned New York architects. Did they even visit Cuba?"

You asked about my father's work. I imagine my father's efforts in Cuba were largely directed at working with whomever was president or dictator to maintain a political climate that was stable and favorable to the operation of US owned businesses, and to trade, and to travel between the two countries. US investments and profits in Cuba were important to both, involving sugar production, manufacturing, transportation, communications, hotels, and entertainment. The only conversation I ever had with my father about Cuba's politics and his role there, was my naive complaint that our government recognized Batista's government too quickly after his illegitimate ascent to power. Of course my father was simply following instructions to protect US interests, and the decision to recognize Batista's coup would not have been his to make, anyway.

My father used to say that both parties should come away from a negotiation feeling that they have achieved some measure of success. I include a link to my father's record of a conversation with President Prío Socarás a few months after we arrived in Havana. It might give you an idea of how he worked. Amb. Beaulac - Pres. Prío Socarás

I've enjoyed your accounts of working for the state department repairing and restoring sculptures and other artwork around the world. What an interesting time you've had! If you do return to Havana and stay at the residence, I hope you'll take some photos to share, and give my eagle a hug from an old friend.

My name is Joan Beaulac Zachor, and my sister to whom I refer is Noël Beaulac Peters. I wrote this recollection for her as well as for you. (I have another sister and a brother who are much younger and have their own memories of countries where my father served later on).

April 1, 2019
Dear Ms. Zachor,
I finally updated my story of the Havana eagle with all your wonderful recollections. Just want to thank you again for so generously sharing these wonderful memories. I too was struck by the tarantulas and lucky for us both, only visually!

So should any more memories arise or if you come across any photos, please please once again consider sharing them with me!

All the best,
Bob

April 3, 2019
Dear Mr. Hannum,
I've enjoyed corresponding with you. I hope you get back to Havana and have a lovely stay at the embassy residence. If, when you step out of the elevator, on the second floor you turn left and walk midway down the hall, the room on the left was my bedroom. If you continue to the end of the formal section of the hallway and then left again into your rooms, you'll be in what we called the presidential suite. I hope you have a lovely time there.  Before you leave, please give my eagle a loving pat on one of his broad wings, and whisper to him that I remember him well, and the happy hours that I spent reading in our leafy nook.

I hope you continue with your interesting work for many more years.

Kindest regards,,
Joan Zachor

Art Conservation of the Buddha

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The Buddha in New Jersey

FUDO MYOH-OHI periodically return to the world headquarters of Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey to provide maintenance for the world's largest wood sculpture of the Buddha.

Wait a minute...New Jersey? Not somewhere in Asia? What's he doing in New Jersey?

Completed in 1993, this astonishing sculpture - 3 stories tall! - was carved by a team of Japanese craftsmen following an age-old Buddhist tradition as a project of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). It took over 2 years to complete. A plaque beside the immense artwork reads:

Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Jinichi Itoh & Isao Yanagimoto, 1990-1993 Alaskan yellow cedar, Japanese lacquer, gold leaf FUDO MYOH-OH (Immovable King of Light).

Created by Japanese artists at the Maryland Institute College of Art, the Fudo represents a fierce and raging manifestation of the Buddha's power against evil. The warrior stands motionless and firm upon a rock ready to protect humans from their greed and negativity.

He appears as he has for hundreds of years, holding a rope in his left hand to symbolize bondage to ego and self-indulgence. In his right hand he holds a sword poised to cut loose those bonds and all other impediments in the way of enlightenment. Ancient interpretations of Fudo Myoh-oh show him as a messenger of the Buddha and as such he is given a boyish body, but because he combats evil and symbolizes the destruction of wickedness, his face is filled with rage.

Traditional Buddhist literature describes him as having bulging eyes and ferocious, protruding teeth. The braid over his left shoulder suggests his servant status. Fudo is also loved for his ability to control disease, subdue enemies, and to assist in the acquisition of wealth and peace.

The sculpture was made according to techniques dating back to the 11th century. It was fabricated with the help of students at the Maryland Institute College of Art and donated to Becton Dickinson by the Institute to insure its preservation as a work of art and as a symbol of friendship and understanding between Japan and the United States.

This sculpture is the largest wooden Fudo Myoh-oh in the world. The following images were taken during the 2-year project. The video that follows offers fascinating details of the entire project, the artists, the carving techniques, the making of the glass eyes, the ceremonies, moving it into the atrium - a wonderful documentary.

When completed, MICA sought a permanent location for this giant 2-and-a-half-story sculpture. BD's campus of beautiful award-winning buildings, designed by the architecture firm Kallmann McKinnell & Wood, became a perfect home with its large sunlit atriums. The Buddha was placed in one such room at the head of an ornamental pond, providing humidity that helps prevent damage to the wood. A large hole was cut into the side of the building to install the sculpture.

Related Projects:

Art Conservation Techniques

Fudo Myo oh art conservationMy assistant and I spent 2 days removing dust and repairing sections of gold and silver leaf.

We used special brushes made of squirrel hair. Unlike other brush hairs, squirrel has no barbs which is ideal for removing dust without damaging delicate surfaces such as the leaf and pigment.

Scaffolding was carefully constructed so that no part of it touches the sculpture while allowing close contact with every surface. The scaffolding costs several thousand dollars for our 2 days of use. Luckily, the dust buildup takes about 5 years before it becomes visible so we don't have to do this very often! Have a look at these wonderful details.

Gloves are worn at all times so that the corrosive oils in our hands never come in contact with the art.

Iconography

Known as Fudō Myō-ō, this is the wrathful Buddha venerated especially by the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. Also known as Fudo Myoh-oh, Fudo Myo, Fudo Myoo, Immaculate Wisdom King, Achala Vidyaya, and Udjaraja, Fudo converts anger into salvation with a furious face that subdues all impediments to the spiritual goals of wisdom and compassion.

His devil-subduing sword represents wisdom cutting through ignorance. His rope symbolizes several things - catching and binding demon impediments to knowledge as well as the terribly binding and restrictive quality of our egos and ignorance. The third eye in his forehead is all-seeing. He stands upon a rock representing the immovability of faith.

Fudō is also worshiped as a deity who can bring good health and financial success.

Myō-ō is the Japanese term for a group of warlike and wrathful deities known as the Wisdom Kings. All Myō-ō statues appear ferocious and menacing, protecting the teachings, removing all obstacles to understanding, and forcing evil to surrender. Introduced to Japan in the 9th century, the Myō-ō were originally Hindu deities that were adopted into Buddhism. In Japan, among all the different Myō-ō, Fudō is the most widely venerated.

For more details about this fascinating Buddhist deity and his Japanese sect please refer to this Ohio State University MFA thesis by Dorothy Jean Sutton.

We finished our work, bowed respectfully to Fudo and wished him well until his venerable protector, BD's Projects & Facility Services Manager, Tony Albanese, calls again.

New Developments

Fudo Myoh-oh receiving maintenanceRecently, a reader contacted me. Peter Wechsler was a student at MICA when this sculpture was created and became a life-long friend of the chief sculptor, Mr. Hashimoto. He kindly shared his fascinating memories.

I met Hashimoto when he worked at MICA. He is from Fukushima, where I also studied temple carpentry. Fortunately, his family was OK after the earthquake, but were probably not too far from the nuclear plant. As I recall, he and two other sculptors, all students of the same teacher, came over to MICA together, but I think Hashimoto stayed the longest. I believe a patron in Japan supplied the money for the project. The sculpture was created using a traditional technique called 'yosegi' or joined wood, gluing together blocks of wood, in this case Alaskan yellow cedar.

They made a model of the sculpture, and sliced it into thin sections, each representing one 2" thick section of the finished sculpture, or whatever the size of the materials they were using. They then glued these together and assembled them. The inside is hollow to save on materials and weight, and to avoid problems with humidity. They then started carving, using all hand tools which took quite a while. Then they painted it and inserted the glass eyes.

The paint is a very durable finish made from the sap of urushi, a relative of poison ivy, so those who use it usually have strong reactions until they develop a tolerance. It also requires humidity to cure. Then they applied the gold leaf.

After it was finished, there was an impressive fire ceremony with a Tendai priest. They also read a poem about Fudo Myo by Gary Snyder that I haven't been able to find. However, I came across an interesting account of hiking in the Japanese mountains in 1969 by him that talks a little about Fudo Myo's position in Japanese Buddhism.

http://www.kyotojournal.org/the-journal/spirit/the-womb-diamond-trail/

I think they assumed that it would be easy to find a home for the statue when it was finished, but was too big for most interior spaces. It couldn't be left outside without a building. We talked about building some sort of building, but it was also probably too religious for most public spaces. It was therefore a big relief when they made contact with the CEO of Becton Dickinson who was interested in Asian art.

They were just building their new headquarters which sounded perfect. I went up there to visit when they installed it. The head and arms were removed and I could see marks where they had dragged it through the hallways. The space seemed perfect with a fountain for humidity and the skylight. I remember talking to one of the guards who said some of them were afraid to go in there at night. He said he went in there once and it was looking down at him with lightning visible through the skylight.

Later [in my career as a carpenter] I went over to Japan and worked on a temple where Hashimoto was creating carvings, and visited him a couple of times at his home in Kyoto. He later moved to Osaka and I visited him when I was there three or four years ago. I definitely recommend getting in touch. His house is a taste of an older Japan, and he would probably be happy to put you up...

Peter

And this from another reader, David Brown.

I was the Director of Exhibitions at MICA from 1989-96. Yashuhiko, the lead, and his two accomplished sculptors had a temporary studio in the parking lot of the old train station which housed among other things, the school's library, the Decker Gallery, and grad and undergrad sculpture studios and classrooms.

Fudo was created in a three story temp studio made out of corrugated metal with large front doors. We checked on the progress almost everyday by looking through the gap in the doors, watching the work slowly come together.
I took the artist James Grashow there to see the work. Grashow was there to help oversee the installation of his giant standing sculpture called 'Building Man' and was so blown away that when I see him today, that's always the first thing he brings up. We envisioned a battle between Building Man and Fudo, knowing full well that we didn't stand a chance! Building Man is a cross between a skyscraper and a business man, complete with Gulliver-like tiny attendants, hanging off the side, washing windows, elevators in the shoes...a nice work for Grashow, who resides in Connecticut.

There was a series of ceremonies that blessed the creation but I can't recall what they were or if I even attended.

I found these two stories online today from the Baltimore Sun that may shed some light:

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-03-14/features/1993073140_1_buddha-sculpture-ken-ludwig-maryland-institute

David

Update: March 27, 2019

This article appeared in the online publication Kyoto News, and is reproduced with permission of the author. 'Giant Buddhist Statue Marks 25th Year Since Creation in U.S.' by Justin Maki.

A contemporary Buddhist statue thought to be the world's largest wooden image of the deity Fudo Myo-O recently passed the 25th year since it was completed and installed in its permanent home on the U.S. East Coast, following a years-long collaboration between a team of Japanese sculptors and the Maryland arts community that embraced the project.

The cedar statue, which stands just over 10 meters tall, depicts "The Immovable King of Light" -- a benevolent but fearsome manifestation of the Buddha who wields a sword, coiled rope and angry scowl against evils such as illusion and ignorance.

Yasuhiko Hashimoto, 64, the sculptor who initiated and led the effort along with colleagues Jinichi Ito and Isao Yanagimoto, said he felt drawn to the project at a time when Japanese culture was not well-known or appreciated in the United States.

"I knew America to be a free and open-minded country, though at the time (in the early 1990s) Americans tended to see Japan as an industrial nation represented by its cars," said Hashimoto, a native of Fukushima Prefecture who lives in Osaka. "Creating a Buddhist statue was a way to help introduce them to the depth of Japan's spiritual culture."

The project, which took place over the course of three years, officially began in the summer of 1990 at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. With outside funding including from a Japanese arts patron and local in-kind donations, the sculptors worked in a temporary studio built for the purpose in a campus parking lot to bring the massive 6-ton figure to life.

While not explicitly aiming to create the world's largest statue of its kind, Hashimoto wanted to exceed both the 5-meter Fudo Myo-O the trio had previously made for a temple in Japan's Yamanashi Prefecture as well as the 8-meter historical masterpieces by 12th/13th-century sculptors Unkei and Kaikei, whose realism in depicting Buddhist deities greatly influenced the present Fudo's style.

"The audacity of size is a tremendous statement in this work," said Jane Elkinton, an Asian art specialist who witnessed the sculpture's creation as a professor at the Maryland Institute. She explained that while "the stance, lay of the drapery with its elegant flutters, and proportions" of the giant work are consistent with Japanese tradition, it also embodies a "humanistic quality" for the sake of Western viewers by changing the customary blue skin to a warmer, human tone and shifting the typically straight-ahead angry glare to a "less confrontational" gaze to the side.

The sculpture team used the "yosegi zukuri" or joined-block technique to assemble the figure from multiple hollow parts, giving students and visitors an understanding of an artistic practice perfected in 11th-century Japan.

"The greatest aspect of the project was the overwhelming generosity on the part of the sculptors,"Elkinton said. "Hashimoto inspired everyone who visited his studio with his talent, his ready communication, and his enthusiasm."

From its early stages, the project sparked interest among students who either assisted in the sculpture work or helped spread the word beyond campus. Kerrie Bellisario, a senior at the art school when the project was starting, heard about it through her library job and soon got involved as a liaison for the press and a guide for visiting groups.

"Jinichi Ito taught me basic carving techniques, and with a group of schoolchildren we did some carving on one leg of the Fudo," she recalled. "Seeing the Fudo, carving it, and being introduced to Japanese culture was such an eye-opening experience for the children."

Bellisario went on to visit Japan a number of times while organizing an international art exhibit in Hiroshima, a collaboration with other students from the sculpture project that became an important early step toward her career as a design teacher and international curator.

"If it weren't for the Fudo project which led to the Bridge (program in Hiroshima), I can't imagine what path my life would have taken," she said.

More than a year after getting under way, the team finished its detailed carving work and assembled the unpainted figure at its full height for the first time in 1991.

The lacquering, painting, gold leaf work and other finishing touches were completed after a six-month hiatus, during which arrangements were made to donate the piece to Becton, Dickinson and Company for its headquarters in northern New Jersey, where it still stands today.

Every few years, conservators visit the medical technology company's 140-acre (about 567,000-square-meter) campus to attend to the statue, removing dust with special squirrel-hair brushes and reapplying gold leaf as necessary.

"I'm grateful the piece continues to be cared for so well, and also for the open-mindedness of everyone who embraced the project in the first place," Hashimoto said. "Although we couldn't readily express in English what we wanted to share, the experience let us communicate with American people whose kindness and curiosity about the world we will never forget."

Following completion of the project, Hashimoto continued to sculpt fine-art pieces that have appeared in shows across Japan and abroad, while Ito resumed his work in temple carpentry.

Yanagimoto, alongside whom Hashimoto had apprenticed under the late Japanese Order of Culture-winning sculptor Seiko Sawada, has since become a university professor.

The deity Fudo Myo-O, known as Acala in the Hindu tradition where it originated, gained prominence in Japanese Buddhism over a thousand years ago, particularly in the burnt-offering ceremonies of the Shingon sect.

The protector god was depicted in wood sculptures in Japan as early as the 9th century, with larger figures in a standing position appearing in the 11th century as the joined-block technique advanced.

Myokei Matsumoto, a well-known Japanese sculptor of Buddhist images, is reportedly at work on a wooden Fudo in excess of 10 meters for a temple in Saitama Prefecture, with completion expected around the opening of the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2020.

Art Restoration at the Denver International Airport

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Back Again!

One of Several Visits

Singer Sculpture at Denver International Airport

This is the latest of several visits to Denver International Airport (DIA) to restore the large Michael Singer sculpture in Concourse C.

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On at least two occasions since the sculpture was installed in 1994 irrigation has failed and the art has been removed to repair or replace the irrigation. In these instances I set the artwork back in place. On another occasion, rot required the replacement of several elements.

This is always a delightful project as the staff of DIA are wonderful.

Critics Love It!

Singer Sculpture Repair at Denver Airport

Here’s what one local has written about this striking work of art:

“In 1994 nature took over the 650 square meter Concourse C within the Denver International Airport and changed the usual anonymous, expected airport in both a dramatic and evocative way.

Singer’s public art project brought nature into the antiseptic airport setting by creating a vast, indoor garden, in which various climbing plants creep up the walls and across the concrete surfaces.  There is, on the whole, a multitude of intense connections between the non-linear growth elements and the more linear structures in the sculptural forms.

The garden can be viewed from the level above, where there is a McDonald’s restaurant and other fast food shops, a fascinating contrast. Singer comments, “the garden is covered with vines, ferns, all manner of growth. It becomes a living ecology, and therefore a complete contradiction to its surroundings.”   The garden, akin to the Japanese Zen-gardens, can be viewed from several vantage points but is not open and available directly to the public, which gives it a mysterious air.

However, it establishes a network of expressive, contrasting effects in its grey, cold surroundings.  The moss-covered surfaces in the northeastern end of the space lead one’s thoughts to the Moss Gardens in Kyoto, creating a poetic Japanese reference.”

And here’s what the artist says about his Atrium Garden:

“Concourse C of the Denver International Airport was re-imagined as a garden oasis within the steel and concrete cathedral-like core of the building. The garden encompasses the entire circulation space where passengers enter and exit the airport train connecting the concourse to the main airport terminal. On the lower level, adjacent to the trains, is a sculpted 7,000 square foot plaza of patterned inlaid granite and copper. Exiting the train one immediately steps upon this patterned plaza and can see hints of the garden above where the sculpted walls emerge from the platforms above the trains. As one travels up the stairs or escalator to the main concourse level the garden slowly emerges as two surrounding stepped gardens bounded by sculpted walls. The two facing gardens, each built over the train system below, frame the entire circulation core, creating the experience of ascending into the garden from below or descending into the garden from above (when returning to the main terminal). The design of the garden takes advantage of this unique experiential space with a layering of multiple sculptural levels and details that are sequentially revealed by moving through the building and ultimately understood as a whole by viewing the entire interior garden from above.

Singer Sculpture in Concourse C at Denver Airport

The two 2,500 square foot gardens are sculpted from stone, wood, concrete panels, stucco, soil and vegetation. The walls of the garden space are fifteen feet high and constructed at an angle, creating the illusion of deep hallow spaces behind the walls. Carefully selected vines climb and weave through the patinated walls and over the ground plane and sculptural elements. A moss garden is placed at the northeast end of the space, in other areas ferns abound. During periods of growth the garden vegetation can overtake the sculptural elements, leaving only traces and glimpses of the complex pieces below, and creating the sense of an archeological ruin. In the original construction irrigation water was allowed to wet the sculptural elements creating small pools of water within the garden, making the interior garden seem as though it were outdoors.

This project was restored in 2007 at the request of Denver International Airport. Prior to the restoration Michael Singer Studio received numerous inquires about the gardens expressing concern that the irrigation system had been turned off and the garden was dying. Several individuals, including travelers and people who work in the concourse noted that the gardens were also providing a refuge for birds trapped within the airport. They feared without the garden that the birds might not survive. In part due to these inquires, the waterproofing and irrigation systems were upgraded and the gardens were restored and re-planted.”

For more from the artist go to http://www.michaelsinger.com/project/denver-airport-concourse-c-atrium/.

The Restoration

My team and I completed the latest art repair, restoring it to the artist’s original intent.

The moss in one of the central concrete and wood elements did not establish itself despite the special addition of buttermilk to the concrete mixture which fosters moss growth on concrete. This failure was due to a lack of moisture. The irrigation has never been able to deliver enough moisture to this area. So artificial moss is now used and surprisingly looks quite nice.

It’s a beautiful airport terminal complex with lots of wonderful art. I highly recommend visiting DIA even if you’re not flying.

Restoration of Works on Paper

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300 Drawings Restored and Re-Framed

About the Artist

Ritual Series Retellings

Ritual Series Retellings 6/30/94. Cast paper,
charcoal, and chalk on paper. 96 x 34”

The environmental artist and architect Michael Singer, commissioned Arts Management Services LLC to inspect and restore all of his works on paper - collages, etchings, and prints.

This multi-year project involved nearly 300 works of art ranging in age from his first pieces of the early '70's to his newest work. Some were in poor condition without acid free materials. Some had never been matted or framed before.

The Restoration

Each was carefully taken apart. Frames - iron, steel, and aluminum - were cleaned, reconditioned, lacquer-coated, or replaced. All frames were custom-made. Special aged-iron frames were carefully cleaned of rust spots and coated with two layers of satin-finish lacquer. Frame screws were replaced to match the frame color and finish.

All backing that was not acid-free, foam core, or blemish-free was replaced. All mats were carefully inspected and replaced when needed by 8-ply cotton rag archival museum board. This 8-ply mat was hand-cut with no over-cuts at the corners. I used a special bone implement to finish the cut edges as per standard art framing practices. All hinges were replaced.

 

Ritual Series 1/2/79

Ritual Series 1/2/79. Paper collage, charcoal, and chalk on paper. 59 x 43”

I used archival acid-free glue with hand-made Japanese rice paper hinges. In addition to hinging at the top as is usual, sometimes the sides were also hinged when the weight of the artwork was an issue. Acid-free paper was folded into triangles and applied to the bottom corners of all artwork to protect it from damage during handling and transport, should it ever come unhinged.

 

 

Some drawings needed to be carefully cleaned of bugs, dust, and mold. The artist was consulted before the removal of any blemishes to be certain that such marks were not part of the artwork. Fixative was re-applied to surfaces without disturbing delicate elements such as copper foil, oil stick, chalk, pencil, and charcoal.

Many collage works required hand-made spacers between the mat and the Plexiglas to create space and separation so that the artwork does not touch the Plexiglas surface - a particular issue for this artist whose works often involve layers of paper as much as 5/8" thick.

Ritual Series Guardian Journey

Ritual Series Guardian Journey 8/06. Ink and collage on paper. 40.5 x 32.5”

Some works were large with dimensions as much as 3' x 8' and weighing nearly 100 pounds. All original museum and gallery labels on the back of each piece were carefully removed and re-affixed to the reconditioned works. Scratched and smudged Plexiglas surfaces were cleaned and repaired or custom cut and replaced.

Finally, all artworks were recorded in detail as part of a larger project to register all of the artist's lifetime of artwork, installations, exhibitions, and sales including hundreds of drawings and sculpture.

Sculpture Restoration at Middlebury College

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Site-Specific Sculpture 'Garden of the Seasons'

Garden of the Seasons 2The Artwork

Garden of the Seasons is located on a main pathway of the Middlebury College campus. A granite bench sits in front of an aluminum structure with water trickling over it. This transforms into an ice sculpture in the winter months. Behind this structure is a garden and stream also designed by the artist.

The site-specific environmental sculpture engages visitors with sound, light, color, texture, and fragrance. The artist's website further describes it as follows:

The garden is a semi-sheltered contemplative place to enjoy the air and light of Vermont, socialize, meet a friend, read and view the landscape and the quad in all seasons.

At the threshold of the garden a warm season Water Wall transforms to a winter Ice Wall. Depending on the temperature. The surface of the Ice Wall slowly grows vertical ice sheets or the ice melts away revealing a pattern of steel and aluminum lattice. In the spring and summer the water wall has the ambient sound of slowly flowing water punctuated by the sound of insects and birds within the garden.

The garden opens to a small semi-circular plaza of sculpted concrete pavers and a curving granite bench with views to distant mountains. A sunken garden chamber set at different elevations functions as a gravitational stormwater runoff treatment system under the plantings. A long naturalized bioswale enfolds the garden with wildflowers and grasses. All the plantings of the garden are indigenous ground covers, wildflowers, shrubs, and vines. Many of the plants have winter berries and summer blooms that provide habitat for birds and butterflies.

The Restoration

The original grey paint whichGardenn of the Seasons 1 coated the aluminum structure failed and was peeling.

My work involved removing the peeled paint and applying a two-part epoxy paint matching the original color.

I researched paint used on metal exposed to water. These two-part epoxy paints have been used successfully on bridges for many decades.

I cleaned the stone, removed old paint, and applied the epoxy. The project took me one day without assistance.

Read more about the artwork here.