Art Restoration in Manila

by

Restoring a 'Lost' Artwork

First, Saving Hands and Feet

One of the most difficult - and exciting! - projects I've ever worked on is in a large swimming pool in the back yard of our Ambassador's residence in Manila, Philippines. Exciting because it involved adventures, discoveries, mysteries, and as with most of my projects, good talented people! This was also the first time I restored a priceless artwork.

Across the bottom of the pool is a sprawling image of over 7000 individually cut colored tiles. It was created by the Picasso of the Philippines, Vicente Silva Manansala (1910-1981) in 1965 when the pool was constructed. Manansala is now considered a national treasure, and although he is well-known in the Philippines and beyond, this artwork is not. Until this restoration, no one knew about it except the US State Department's Office of Cultural Heritage which asked me for help.

Mr. Manansala was prolific, creating many paintings and stained glass artworks, but only a few compositions in tile, and this is one of them. It is a cubist depiction of sea creatures and aquatic plants, a work of great beauty and great value.

In the pool of the US Ambassador's residence in Manila Philippines

Part of the problem is that there is no complete image of this artwork because it is so large - spanning a 60'x35' pool. I took the photo above but as you can see, it needs an overhead photo which presents a unique problem I'll explain in a moment. Below are examples of other work by Manansala.

Manansala pool tile repair in Manila

The Initial Work

The first step in this multi-year project addressed a safety concern. When the artwork was created, tiles were cut and installed but never 'softened', resulting in sharp edges that occasionally caused minor cuts to feet and hands.

With the help of the embassy mason, Delmer, we carefully used a special tool (Dremel 4000 with diamond accessories) on the edges of more than 1000 tiles over three days. Couldn't have done it without Delmer in these mid-summer days of intense heat and humidity, even in the shade. I did ten minutes at a time. Delmer could do much more.

Preparing to Return

Manansala Pool Tile artwork

That done, I returned home to address the next set of challenges. Over time about 90 tiles deteriorated and were replaced without matching the original colors or shapes. Who could blame anyone. No one knew this was a valuable artwork. Luckily, these replacements were all a dark gray color distinct from the originals so they were easy to spot as seen in this image.

Not so easy was figuring out some of the original shapes. A close study of the entire piece plus elements from similar paintings helped me figure this out. Double checking my findings with colleagues, a conservator basic, settled it!

The Director of the Office of Cultural Heritage decided not only to restore this important and unusual artwork, but also track down relatives, cultural officials, editors of art publications, and museum directors to plan a special dedication when the restoration is finished. After all, an unusual, important, valuable, and 'lost' work of art by a renown Filipino artist deserves special attention.

Once the shapes were determined, the next step was locating a tile manufacturer to match the original colors. This too was a challenge since few companies do custom colors or small batches. I finally found Viuva Lamego in Lisbon, Portugal. They completed the order and shipped it to Manila to await my return.

Back to Manila

I brought special tools to cut curves in the tile. I also brought twenty tiles fabricated here inTile Label with Filipino Translation the US for a label about the artist in English and Filipino to display near the pool.

Special thanks to Gloria Shanstrom at Enduring Images for the label fabrication, and to Casper Talaeay from Lancaster, PA for the translation. I learned from Casper that there are many dialects in the Philippines. The major one is Tagalog displayed in the label.

Related Projects:

Pool Tile Artwork by Vicente Manansala

As I mentioned, the artwork is so large that no photo exists that nicely shows the entire piece. A simple solution is a drone camera, but drone photography is a hard ask for embassy security folks tasked with the protection of our foreign diplomats and other employees. Photos are strictly forbidden that show security cameras, or even doors and windows. But that was just the beginning of the problem. This residence happens to be close to a Philippine military base, close enough that drones of any kind are prohibited. I tried a GoPro camera attached to a long pole from roof of the house overlooking the pool, and the picture at the top of this article was the result - still not very satisfying. I'm tempted on my next visit to simply use a drone at a very low level over the center of the pool and apologize later!

I located two granddaughters of the artist, and a grandson. One is an expert on her grandfather's artwork. I continue to follow leads and hope to locate many more interested parties.

The Restoration Continues

With a break in the Covid pandemic, I returned to Manila for six weeks in February 2022 to finish the work... or so I thought! It was a complicated trip this time with more costly airfare, a five-day quarantine, a Covid test, and a Philippine visa which I could only get in-person at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC.

First thing when I arrived, I checked the custom color tiles I ordered - did they match? Yes for 23 but no for 5! So we completed our work with the tiles we had - a big enough task taking 6 weeks. But I'd have to return.

More Damage

I also discovered that many more tiles were damaged than I originally observed. On closer inspection, some previous repairs were done too quickly causing 'overcuts' in adjoining tiles. These too needed to be replaced.

And scratches - so many scratches and chips caused by mops and typical pool cleaning accessories. What was originally a 90-tile restoration became a 800 tile project!

Another source of damage were gouges and cracks caused by dropping objects on the tile, such as tools, mop handles, and even extension cords as seen below. Though tile is very resistant much like our teeth to scratches even by metal dental tools, dropping something hard easily causes cracks and chips.

So I returned for another final six weeks in May 2022 to finish before the new ambassador arrived in July.

Manansala movement

Mysteries

This is a gorgeous piece and without a doubt the most interesting and valuable I've ever worked on in my 45-year career. Two mysteries topped the bill!

Manansala experimented with the limits of cubism throughout his career, achieving an innovation in three-dimensionality which is now known as ‘Transparent Cubism’. Below is a great example. Notice the stained-glass, transparent effect that Manansala achieved - this was a first!

I believe that in this pool Manansala experimented again. This time he investigated movement. If this is true it adds even greater importance to the artwork. Take a look at the images below. I apologize for the blue - we were under a blue tarp to provide shade while we worked and too big to remove every time I took a photo!

These are particularly difficult, time-consuming, and expensive cuts, detail which makes no sense unless Manansala had an important reason. My masons confirmed that such extra time and expense would never be done unless specifically requested. Why choose small curves and indentations rather than easy straight cuts? Why create details that no one can see when the pool is filled? Why place such details only on the sea creatures? I think Manansala discovered that these details work along with sunlight and water to create movement, a theory to be tested when the pool is filled.

I also discovered another odd detail, two small heart-shaped tiles. These are also hard to create in tile, or even see, and hearts are not found in seascapes. This is a curious decision by the artist. Is it a signature? Do any other of his artworks include a heart? Further research is needed.

Further Research

The restoration is complete, but the project is far from over. So glad to be done with the exhausting and grueling part of daily heat, dust, noise, and rather dangerous tools. But my research was limited to the internet to find what other tile artwork the artist created and any other art with that would help determine the missing shapes. And I was not yet able to test my theory before I left because the pool requires 4 days to fill, and there was no time to spare before my next scheduled project. So there is more to do.

Valuation

Manansala created another small cubist tilework depicting the Crucifixion - this is in a private collection - and a large representational mosaic entitled 'Our Lady of Fatima - Thank You' on the chapel facade of Far Eastern University in Manila.

The small (18"x53") cubist tile piece appeared at auction years ago at a bid of $10,000. I used this as a 'comp' but a poor one at best since there is no date of the auction, no final sale price, and no authentication, and there are many fake Manansala's. Given the uniqueness of the pool artwork and the 'national treasure' status of the artists this comp gives us a starting value in my opinion starting at $2,000,000. But if this is an example of yet another innovation, this time in cubist movement, it is the only example and thus elevates the value to priceless.

And Finally, Maintenance!

Manansala is a 'national treasure' of the Philippines and a major contributor in the Cubist art movement. Without question the pool artwork is valuable and important. Thus, I feel differently about the idea of training staff to do future repairs as I usually do in every embassy restoration.

Though the embassy masons are very skilled and careful, I feel that only conservators should touch it, and there be strict guidelines for cleaning it such as never stepping on it, never using abrasives, never carrying tools into the pool, etc. I don't even feel comfortable with anyone but CH cleaning it! It's an expensive proposition, but in my opinion well worth it.

Below are images of the artist.

The US Dept of State May newsletter features cultural heritage projects including two of mine! Take a look.

Sculpture on the Highway

by

‘Untitled’ sculpture by Herbert Baumann 1968
‘Untitled’ by Herbert Baumann 1968 located at the I-91 southbound Hartford Rest Area

The Story Begins in 1968

"OK, now what?!" Or so I imagine the words of Paul Aschenbach standing in front of over twenty monumental sculptures.

He'd gathered artists from all over the world - the United States, Austria, Japan, South Africa, Germany, and Yugoslavia - to create these huge works of art in marble and concrete. What's more, it was not only a grand sculpture project. This was a great vision of the power of open minds and communication at the height of the Cold War when the political world was rife with fear and closed borders.

Now, where to put them? Too big for most museums.

Aschenbach was associate professor of art at the University of Vermont. He brought together fellow sculptors for the Vermont Sculpture Symposium in 1968, 1971, and 1990. The first two would result in what is now called 'Sculpture on the Highway', the largest sculpture park in the world!

The Symposia

The Vermont Sculpture Symposium was inspired by a worldwide movement known as the International Sculpture Symposium which was started in 1959 by the Austrian sculptor Karl Prantl who participated in the first Vermont symposium.

As noted in Wikipedia,

This initiative grew from the need to facilitate communication and exchange between members of the international sculpture community. It was also rooted in Cold War tensions, which lent a particular urgency to the need for cross-cultural dialogue on a person-to-person basis. The first international sculpture symposium took place in an abandoned stone quarry in Sankt Margarethen im Burgenland."

'Axe VIII’ sculpture by Bradford Graves 1971
'Axe VIII’ by Bradford Graves 1971 located at the I-89 northbound Williston Rest Area

Prantl organized several sculpture symposia in Europe and elsewhere including Japan, Israel, and Canada.

Supporting Vermont's symposia were grants from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts which matched goods and services provided by two regional industrial benefactors, the Vermont Marble Company (1968) and the concrete manufacturer S.T. Griswold & Company (1971).

Four Towers by Eduardo Ramirez
'Cuarto Torres’ (Four Towers) by Eduardo Ramirez 1971 located at the I-89 southbound Williston Rest Area

Marble and Concrete

Twenty-two sculptures were created during Vermont's first two symposia. Some were sold according to an agreement among the artists, including a sculpture by Clement Meadmore. One was damaged beyond repair during a later relocation effort. The remaining sixteen were placed at rest areas along 400 miles of Vermont highways I-91 and I-89.

Half are marble created in the first symposium and the other half are reinforced cast and applied concrete created in the second symposium.

'Untitled’ by Viktor Rogy 1968
'Untitled’ by Janez Lenassi 1968

My Role

Giving back to the community is important to me. One of my pro bono projects is helping the Vermont State Curator, David Schutz, conserve these important artworks.

The first step was to inspect the condition of each sculpture for grant proposals David and his team plan to submit. One of the grants, 'Save America's Treasures', seeks federal money for conservation.

Some sculptures need to be moved. Some need foundations. All need to be cleaned. Cracks, chips, and graffiti need attention. The good news is that they're all in remarkably good condition for 50 years old. With timely and proper attention, they can last another 50 years and beyond.

'Untitled' by Minoru Niizuma 1968
'Untitled’ by James Silva 1971

The Adventure Begins

So off I went to find these huge objects. Some were difficult to locate, obscured by forest growth, blocked by fencing, or in areas that are now closed to the public. At times I felt like Indiana Jones and Benjamin Gates! Eventually, I found them all.

I created conditions reports and plans for repairs and on-going maintenance. The goal, as explained by Vermont's State Curator, is not to bring these sculptures back to their original condition but rather to delay the natural deterioration for as long as possible.

‘Socha pre Betón/Sculpture for Concrete’ by Rudolph Uher 1971
'Trois Traces' by Yasuo Mizui 1968
'Untitled' by Isaac Witkin 1971
'Untitled' by Carl Floyd 1971

Conservation Needs

The first priority is to move those that are too close to a roadway, or in locations susceptible to vandalism, or in areas that are now inaccessible to the public. The second priority is to give them all sturdy foundations. Next, fill cracks since the freeze/thaw cycle of Vermont weather causes the most damage. Each year cracks get a bit wider and longer.

Another major concern is 'sugaring'. This is a kind of degradation to the surface of outdoor marble. The cause is weather, acid rain, pine needles, bird droppings - just about every outdoor condition. Marble is simply not a great choice for outdoor sculpture. Over time, smooth marble surfaces turn into tiny rough grains of stone the texture of sugar.

Other needs can wait a bit longer if necessary, such as chip repair, coating exposed rebar, removing graffiti, cleaning off moss, dirt, and mold, and installing signage.

Related Projects:

Signage of some kind is important not only for interpretation, but also for preservation. Research shows that some kind of label next to outdoor art reduces vandalism. But signage right next to these works is a problem. Signage was not the artist's original intent. Many symposia artists felt that signage and even titles impede a viewers encounter with art. So we'll have to give further thought to this issue. Maybe signage at the beginning of a long path leading to the sculpture? We'll see.

‘Untitled’ by A. Dieter Trantenroth 1971
Cracks in the sculptures are a high priority

VTrans to the Rescue

Then a pleasant surprise! The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), our state highway department, got wind of our efforts and offered to help. Now we're working with VTrans to move sculptures and create foundations. We plan to begin this critical first stage in preservation when Covid subsides.

Getting Started

The plan is to move some of the sculptures to high-use rest areas to reduce the risk of vandalism and enable visitors to walk around them. Others will have their current areas cleaned and improved.

‘Untitled’ by Erich Reischke 1968
‘Untitled’ by Paul Aschenbach 1971

Grant applications will be submitted in 2020 and 2021. If we're lucky and all goes as planned, work will be completed by the end of 2023, including exciting interpretive programs at rest stops, welcome centers, and websites.

In the meantime, we're organizing 'Friends of Sculpture on the Highway', a group of the original artists, their family members and friends, and interested citizens to join us in advocacy, fundraising, and brainstorming. Please join us by contacting me with a comment below or emailing me directly at rwhannum@gmail.com. All are welcome to join in this exciting project!

These sixteen sculptures are an important piece of Vermont history. They hold a unique place in contemporary art as works of significance and value that must not be neglected.

Update: August 2019

The niece of one of the sculptors, Erich Reischke, just contacted me! She read this article and is coming to visit Vermont this fall with her sister and would like to see their uncle's artwork.

Also, one of my clients, the Office of Cultural Heritage (CH) of our US State Dept, just offered to review our conservation plans. CH is a small team of incredibly talented art conservators who travel the world repairing the vast collection of art in our embassies and ambassador residences abroad. They're a wonderful group of people and I'm thrilled to be working with them!

As one of the members of our group recently remarked, there's a lot of positive energy gathering around this project. The stars are aligned!

Update: October 2019

Our group continues to meet, visit the sites, and plan for their preservation. We're now focused on several grant applications for funding, such as the federal 'Save America's Treasures' grant and a couple of state highway grants, one of which we have already received for planning. So, we are gathering all our notes and estimates - wish us luck!

In the meantime, we continue to search for the artists that are still alive or their family members. Three are still alive - Ruddick, Silva, and Katsuji.

We just met with two sisters who are nieces of Erich Reischke. They came from California to see his sculpture. Byron Brees who heads our volunteer group, and I, spent an afternoon with them at their uncle's sculpture, talking and reminiscing.

They shared memories of Erich's fascinating and unusual life - living on a commune, becoming a Sikh, shunned by his family, and then later beloved.

Rita Reischke Bauer (left) and Sylvia Reischke
Rita Reischke Bauer (left) and Sylvia Reischke, nieces of Eric Reischke, sitting on his sculpture.
Sylvia Reischke, niece of Eric Reische standing next to one of his sculptures
Sylvia Reischke

Yesterday Byron and I traveled to Northampton, MA, about 2.5 hours drive south to meet halfway, Peter Ruddick and his friend who drove up from New York City where Peter has an art exhibition. He lives in California.

We spent three hours listening to memories of his upbringing in England during the WWII, his teaching career in Oregon, then at the Pratt Institute in New York City, and then Goddard College in Vermont. He spoke at length of his recollection of both Vermont symposia. Each one lasted about two months. He spoke about the artists that influenced him most such as Louise Bourgeois and especially, for him, Alberto Giacometti. I was particularly enthralled since I'd recently restored a Bourgeois sculpture at our ambassador's residence in London, and Giacometti is my all-time favorite, too!

Peter supports our plans for signage and foundations for his sculpture and all the others. His contribution to 'Sculpture on the Highway' was thought to be 'Untitled' but we discovered that it's 'Sextant'. He explained the influences behind it such as climbing over bunkers and looking thru machine gun sites left over from the war in England as a child.

He explained that he and the other artists were involved in choosing the location and exact placement of their pieces. For him the circle of 'Sextant' framed the mountains in the distance and the diamond framed cars on the highway and parked at the rest stop. We plan to move this sculpture and Peter enjoyed our suggestion of the Sharon Welcome Center where it could once again align with a view of the mountains at one end and the highway at the other.

Plans are also afoot to reconstruct a missing sculpture by Kishida Katsuji who is still alive. It was destroyed years ago while trying to move it.

All of these remarkable pieces are 50 years old in 2021, so we're considering ways to mark the occasion, such as another symposium, national and state Historic Register designation, the reconstruction of this piece, and other exciting possibilities.

Peter Ruddick, Bob Hannum, and Byron Breese
Peter Ruddick, Bob Hannum, and Byron Breese in Paul & Elizabeth’s Restaurant, Northampton, MA 10/7/19
‘Sextant' by Peter Ruddick
Peter Riddick’s ‘Sextant’ at a closed weigh station on I-89 South in Sharon
Sculpture on the Highway by Kishida Katsuji
Kishida Katsuji sculpture at Sharon Rest Stop, I-89 North, destroyed years ago in an attempt to move it.
‘Untitled’ sculpture by Karl Prantl
‘Untitled’ by Karl Prantl 1968

Update: March 2020

A local reporter from 'Seven Days' called me. He saw this post and wanted to know more about 'Sculpture on the Highway.' He mentioned that Kate Pond participated in these symposia and that she lives close-by. So began my adventure with Ms. Pond!

"What Is the Large Metallic Structure at the Border in Highgate?" is a wonderful article about the work of the prominent Vermont sculptor Kate Pond. She and I are in conversation about her memories as a student of Paul Aschenbach and Clement Meadmore, prominent players in "Sculpture on the Highway'. The article mentions a third Vermont sculpture symposium organized by Paul Aschenbach in 1990. Sculptures from this symposium can now be seen in Battery Park in Burlington.

More about Kate as our conversations continue.

Update: August 2020

We received one of the four grants we're going after. Had to reapply for the other three. This is a blessing in disguise since now we're adding support from artists, family members, art organizations, and other interested parties.

We've discovered that the symposia resumed about 20 years ago in Maine resulting in 34 sculptures found in cities and towns along 200 miles of the northern Maine coast from Castine to Eastport. Known as the Maine Sculpture Trail, five consecutive symposia were founded by the Maine sculptor Jesse Salisbury. So we'll be exploring these connections as well.

Jesse has joined our 'Friends of Sculpture on the Highway.'

Update: February 2021

Our big federal grant application to 'Save America's Treasures' has just been submitted! Very exciting! It's such a strong application with contributions from so many over so much time. It's brought many wonderful people together. We should hear by May - wish us luck!

Our 'Friends' Director Byron Breese just found this video of Karl Prantl who passed away in 2010 at the age of 87.

Update: September 2021

Fabulous news! We just received a 'Save America's Treasures' grant! And for the entire amount we asked for. I'm dancing as I type! This grant is entirely devoted to cleaning and restoring the sculptures.

We're not stopping here! Soon we're set to submit the equally large grant application to VTrans to move sculptures, place them on foundations, and upgrade their rest areas - a huge and costly endeavor.

We continue to track down friends and relatives of the original artists. We found Doug Griswold whose father was the owner of ST Griswold Company (later sold to SD Ireland) which donated concrete and work space for all of the second symposium artists. Doug was just out of college having worked at his dad's company since he was 11. He was assigned to assist all the artists. We can't wait to gather and share his stories.

Concrete was an experimental medium for art in the early 70's. Doug made himself available daily to the artists to problem-solve in the creation of their sculpture. We just had the first of many zoom calls with Doug and one of the many interesting memories he shared was that he spent a lot of time trying to convince the artists to look at concrete as a new medium rather than the medium they were used to. He said he didn't succeed with certain artists and you can tell from the pieces they created. For example, Meadmore designed his sculpture like he did his metal sculptures, the Ramirez piece looks like the wood he's used to, and Graves carved a large block of concrete as if it was stone. Others were more successful such as Sylva, Ruddick, Uher, and Floyd. Fascinating!

These meetings are being recorded. Soon we'll make them available on our new website being created pro bono by the premier website development team of Midnightson Designs.

Update: April 2022

We just submitted two more grant applications. One is for funding to create a website to accommodate all of our many needs including fundraising. The other is for the costs of interpretation such as signage and audio-visual displays at the rest areas where the sculptures are located. We will hear about these applications in June. Stay tuned!

Update: November 2023

Lots to tell! First, legal eagles in our Vermont State bureaucracy - God love 'em! - deemed it necessary to contact remaining living sculptors or their next-of-kin to request that they donate the sculptures to the state of Vermont to lay to rest any question of ownership. We must await their response before proceeding. That is underway, and the good news is that the response is positive.

Meantime, no further grant is needed by VTrans. They love our project so much that they've agreed to provide whatever improvements to each rest area where the sculptures are located. Thrilling plans include accessible paths, signage, foundations, landscaping, and much more!

Our website at SculptureontheHighway.com, generously donated by Midnightson Designs is being updated and soon to be a source of regular updates for our growing worldwide group of 'Friends of Sculpture on the Highway'. Join us!

And finally, consultation and planning proceeds so the exciting conservation work funded by the federal 'Save America's Treasures', and the site improvements by our highway department can finally begin this coming spring.

Art Installation at Becton, Dickinson and Company

by

Award-Winning Art Installation

In 1986, Arts Management Services LLC was part of the team commissioned to install two large sculptures. The piece shown above is titled Atrium Garden by Michael Singer and is located in the world headquarters of Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) in Franklin Lakes, NJ.

Singer was commissioned to create works of art for two interior atrium spaces in the executive building of BD’s vast corporate campus.

“Both atria were planned by the architect to be central light wells for the building, providing natural lighting for the core circulation space as well as the adjacent offices and gathering spaces. Upon entering the building there is a view of the central Atrium Garden and its linear water element which carries one’s view deeper into the space.

Related Projects:

Low dense ground cover blankets much of the sculpted ground plane, with several excavated shapes below the surface and around the fountain and water channel. These excavated areas contain different configurations of stone and wood forms.

The garden may be viewed from the adjacent offices and walkways on the upper levels. The many viewpoints reveal different forms within the underground chambers. In the second atrium, which faces an outdoor courtyard, there is a wood and stone sculpture Cloud Hands Ritual Series 1986, an etched copper tablet and an old quarry cart. The elements of the sculpture and etched copper plate reflect the larger forms seen in the sculptural garden atrium.

This project won an American Institute of Architects Gold Award.”

Made of granite, pine, and field stone, I return for yearly maintenance to clean both pieces and apply repairs as needed which is infrequent.

Restoration has involved replacing rotted infrastructure elements supporting the granite. Other than these minimal repairs the piece is remarkably durable. An electrical leak in the ceiling above the Cloud Hands sculpture caused staining on several wood surfaces. The owners have chosen not to repair it due to the fact that the stains look just like knots in the pine surface.

Update 

In 2019 Arts Management Services LLC restored both sculptures. The entire below-ground infrastructure was replaced and the electrical stain damage was restored. See this article for further details.

Installation of a Major Exhibition in Denmark

by

We installed four sculptures, five framed artworks, and numerous story board photos of architecture and infrastructure projects. Sculptures included Ritual Series Retellings 1999-2010 made of pine, cast concrete, bronze, copper, and stone.  158″ wide x 209″ long x 65” tall.

We also installed Ritual Series Map of Memory 2001-2010. This is made of pine, cast concrete, bronze, copper, aluminum, marble, lead, and field stone. It measures 140″ wide x 180″ long x 56” tall.

Both exhibits were well received and included symposia on the role of art in saving the environment, saving the world!

custom made museum display pedestals

As part of the exhibition, a major book on the work of Michael singer was published, The Re-Enchantment of Nature and Urban Space: Michael Singer, Projects In Art, Design, and Environmental Regeneration. It is available in hardcover on Amazon.

Book by Michael Singer

Sculpture Installation at the US Embassy in Athens

by

Six-Week Sculpture Installation

A Major Overseas Project

Michael Singer Sculpture at US Embassy in Athens Greece

In 2007 Arts Management Services LLC (AMS) was hired to manage a major and challenging sculpture installation.

For this six-week project I assembled a ten-person team (five from the US and five from Greece) to install "Garden Sculpture" by the artist Michael Singer at the US Embassy in Athens, Greece.

The project was completed on-time, within budget, and without injuries.

What Is FAPE?

The project was commissioned by The Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE). This is a non-profit organization dedicated to placing American art in U.S. embassies around the world. For over 30 years, FAPE has contributed to the U.S. Department of State’s mission of cultural diplomacy by partnering with American artists. These artists are specially chosen for artworks that encourage cross-cultural understanding.

FAPE asked Michael Singer to design a sculpture to be placed outside a new building constructed on the embassy grounds. This building was design by Kalman, McKinnell and Wood Architects. Michael McKinnell and Michael Singer have a long history of collaboration which first began with their award-winning Becton, Dickinson and Company project. This new building and outdoor sculpture are adjacent to the existing embassy that was designed by the renown modern architect Walter Gropius.

Related Projects:

The sculpture can be viewed from several angles: from inside the new building, from its terrace, from the grounds, and from an entry bridge.

About the Sculpture

Michael Singer Sculpture in Athens Greece

It is 70' long and made of marble, concrete, aluminum, and inlaid tile. Its 49 tons were fabricated at Michael's studio in southern Vermont. Then it was packed and shipped. I tracked the ship on my computer as it crossed the ocean. At one point I watched the dots on my computer screen representing the container ship, sharply divert from its course to avoid a storm.

No pieces broke in transit though several replacement pieces were included just in case. These extra pieces were used to increase the concrete walkway surrounding the piece. Notice in the photos the white concrete squares embedded in the ground surrounding the sculpture.

Challenges

Dozens of custom-made wood crates arrived in a single shipping container. They arrived ahead of schedule at the port in Piraeus, not far from Athens. Good thing we shipped early since the container remained in the port for two weeks until a strike by dock workers ended.

Challenges were common in this project. Months before on my first trip to Athens to make arrangements for the installation, a rocket-propelled grenade struck the front of the embassy! I arrived just a day after this occurred. The rocket missed the American Seal it was aimed at and blasting into the ambassador's private bathroom. No one was injured. The incident occurred early in the morning when no one was in the embassy. I was told that this is typical Greek protest, violent but not meant to injure anyone. The incident underscored the unique challenges we often face in overseas art installation.

Once the container arrived at the embassy, its contents were lifted by crane over the embassy wall and placed around the foundation.

The installation took six weeks including a week to correct errors in the concrete foundation.

What the Artist Says

The artist describes the sculpture in this way:

"...a platform-like structure emerging from below grade at one end and rising three feet from the ground level at the other end. The solid forms of the piece combine to reference a whole, as if the piece were a foundation for something once present. The piece has been said to have archaeological references, an uncovering of something lost and mysterious."

 

Michael Singer discusses the design and fabrication of 'Garden Sculpture.'

Water runs from the high end of the sculpture down over a narrow concrete corridor. Then it spills out onto a wide textured cast aluminum spillway. Finally, the running water falls into a deep, below-ground cistern.

Flowering indigenous succulents were planted throughout the sculpture. They now drape over edges and blend in beautifully with surrounding olive trees and lavender hedges.

Detail of Singer Sculpture in Athens Greece

Marble slabs provide seating for visitors and employees. It is a place of quiet except for the sound of birds and flowing water.

Success

Special thanks goes to Alan Chapman. He's the best builder and troubleshooter on the planet, and he's my number one choice when I need additional help. His unique meld of artist and carpenter make for marvelous solutions. Plus, he made us all laugh when it counted most. And brought us together when things got tense. The success of this project is dedicated to him.

Another special thanks goes to our translator, Fred Naff. He is an ex-pat and local architect who was so much more than a translator. With wonderful calm, intelligence, and humor, he guided us safely through many pitfalls, and was just a heck of a lot of fun to be around! The project could not have succeeded without him.

Update: January, 2018

This large compound of the US Embassy in Athens is expanding again! The new building designed by Kalman, McKinnell and Wood Architects only 10 years ago is now being totally gutted, renovated, and added onto. Michael Singer's sculpture is now covered to protect it during the three-year construction project. All the plants and dirt were removed and the water shut off. When the project is completed, AMS will return to completely restore this sculpture.

Update: June, 2023

Well, 3 years became 5 with delays due to Covid. Plans are afoot for me to return later this year to finally restore this marvelous sculpture.

Restoration of Works on Paper

by

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.

Related Projects:

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.

Mural Restoration in Kingston, Jamaica

by

Mural by Dorothea Rockburne

I assembled a team to restore a number of elements involved in a large mural by Dorothea Rockburne. Lights, a barrier, signage, and a stone baseboard needed attention. The project involved several trips to Kingston over the course of three years. The final trip included the artist to inspect and make final changes.

Background

When this embassy was built in 2003, the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE) commissioned the New York based artist Dorothea Rockburne to create a large mural (approximately 40 feet tall x 20 feet wide) in the embassy's central atrium.

The mural was installed by Ms. Rockburne's studio personnel four years later in 2007. The title of the mural is Folded Sky, Homage to Colin Powell (Colin Powell was borne in Jamaica). It is acrylic paint and gold leaf on canvas which is permanently affixed to the concrete wall.

The Problems

The original lighting design in the stone baseboard was immediately found to be inadequate. New lights were installed on the opposite walls, but daylight shadows remained problematic. A barrier was placed by the embassy to prevent employees and visitors from inadvertently brushing against the fragile gold leaf, but the barrier was too large, obscuring the lower section of the mural. Holes in the stone baseboard from the original light fixtures were covered by foam core and painted to match the surrounding stone.

Restoration

Rob Long and Pete Milo from Clear Story Creative, lighting experts out of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, joined our team. They created a new light design, cleaned and adjusted the current lights, added a few more, and installed shades over the third floor windows. Lights and shades were programmed to automatically adjust to three light settings - sunny daylight, cloudy daylight, and night - without needing to be turned on and off by staff. Scaffolding was required so we worked weekends and evenings in order not to disturb the important work of the embassy personnel.

I replaced damaged signage. The embassy staff contracted a local stone mason to replace the baseboard. And a new, museum-quality barrier was chosen by the artist and shipped to Kingston where I installed it.

During these visits the facilities manager of the embassy requested that the Office of Cultural Heritage (CH) 'finish' the installation of art since many blank walls remained throughout the common areas of the embassy following the original curation by Art in Embassies. During my previous visits and under the guidance of CH Curator Joe Angemi, approximately 40 new artworks were selected by embassy employees from among the FAPE collection and shipped. I installed them during these visits. However, there remained three distinct art label designs throughout the embassy so I initiated the creation of consistent signage and the use of label tape that does not damage walls.

86 new labels were installed using removable and reusable tape that does not damage paint or discolor wood and stone. No artwork in the embassy is missing a new label, and this is now the first embassy with consistent museum-quality labeling.

Related Articles: 

I also straightened over 120 wall-hangings.

As the project director I worked with FAPE, CH, and the embassy to arrange travel, transportation, security clearance, equipment, and contractors.

The artist was very pleased with the outcome.

Ceramic Restoration

by

Repairing Damaged Ceramic Is Tricky

Acclaimed artist and recipient of the MacArthur 'Genius Award', Claire Van Vliet asked me to restore a prized ceramic artwork known as 'Split-Footed Bowl' by Karen Karnes.

Karen Karnes split-footed bowl 1990
'Split-Footed Bowl, 1990' by Karen Karnes

It had fallen over and cracked. Several damaged areas were visible and a thin but inch long chunk of ceramic was missing from inside the pot.

Cracked Pot

Claire wanted the piece restored. I mentioned that such restoration, no matter how well done, would likely reduce it's value - that's the way it is with art and antiques these days. She knew this, and asked me to repair it anyway, preferring that the damage not detract from it's beauty.

Here are just a few examples of Ms. Van Vliet's wonderful artwork including her spectacular 'pulp painting' where she mixes pigment with pulp paper and applies it like paint to her artwork.

The MacArthur Award

Claire won the MacArthur for her innovations in book binding. She founded the Janus Press in 1955. Her groundbreaking work includes a glueless book binding technique. She was honored with the MacArthur in 1989, the first ever awarded to a book artist.

Bonnie and Bob Hannum with Claire Van Vliet
Bonnie Cueman, Claire Van Vliet, and Bob Hannum

The Ceramic Pot

"Split-Footed Bowl' was created and wood-fired by Karen Karnes in 1990 in Morgan, VT.

Karen Karnes (1925-2016), an American ceramist, is best known for salt glazed, earth-toned stoneware ceramics, and experiments with wood firing. She was born in New York City and studied in Italy.

Claire intends to gift her piece to the Racine Art Museum which holds the largest collection of contemporary craft in North America.

Related Projects:

Here are just a few examples of Ms. Karnes' stunning ceramic artwork.

The Challenge

Ceramic art is difficult to restore. You can't re-fire pottery. I'd heard this but wanting to make sure, so I checked with a local potter. Sure enough, you can't fill a crack or missing piece with clay, re-glaze it, and place it back in a kiln. You just can't re-fire pottery without causing even more damage.

The only solution is to fill cracks, grind away the filler to match the ceramic texture, and then match the colors and glaze with paint.

I chose a white epoxy, color-fast acrylic paints, and various Dremel tool accessories for working the epoxy to match the surface texture.

It took about 30 hours. The most fun was applying many layers of paint to match that glazed and textured surface. I stretched the work over many months with permission from Claire who was in no hurry.

Ceramic Restoration Finished
Finished - Inside View
Ceramic Restoration Finished
Finished - Outside View

The Unusual Story of How We Met

Claire and I met a couple years ago, but the path was an odd one.

I was working with my colleague Jim Wenzel for the Office of Cultural Heritage. This is a small group of talented conservators and architects in the US State Dept that care for art and historic properties abroad. Our embassies and ambassador residences contain millions of dollars worth of artwork. Some of our embassies are masterpieces of architecture or of great historic value such as the one where Jim and I were working. It was our ambassador's residence in Tokyo famous as the place where General Douglas MacArthur met Emperor Hirohito following WWII to accept Japan's surrender. Perhaps even more significant, this is where the emperor renounced his divinity.

We were in the basement of the embassy inspecting stored artwork and came across a particularly beautiful landscape print. It was by Claire Van Vliet, and it had been purchased by the State Dept many years ago. It was so beautiful that Jim decided to see if the artist was still alive or had a gallery so he could purchase more of her work for other embassies.

Jim returned to his office in DC and began to search for Claire. He was delighted to discover she was still very much alive and as active as ever creating art and printing books in her renown Janus Press. When he asked to purchase more of her work, she tuned the tables and generously donated over 100 of her prints. She wanted to give back to our country that had so generously accepted her as an immigrant and gave her the opportunity to succeed. Jim asked me to meet Claire and pick up the donation since she lived an hour north of my home in Montpelier, Vermont.

That's when I first met Claire, but the amazing part of the story has just begun!

Shortly after our first meeting I headed out on another assignment in our embassy in Ottawa. While inspecting art, the Legal Attache asked if I would replace some of the art in his office with something related to Canada. I told him that normally this would be a difficult request, but he was in luck! I explained that I'd just met Claire, a superb artist who was born in Ottawa, is now a US citizen, her father was a famous pilot in WWII, and she had just made a generous donation to the State Department.

The Attache, Kevin Vorndran, was not only thrilled, he suggested a special event where Claire would present her artwork and our ambassador would officially thank her.

The event was wonderful. Claire donated a special 'pulp painting' and spoke about her work and her personal ties to Ottawa. Many attended including members of the Canadian and American armed forces in honor of her father's illustrious service. Refreshments and photos and speeches followed. For more details click this article that appeared in the State Dept newsletter.

Graffiti Removal in Randolph

by

‘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.

Brief History

Thirty years ago, the sculptor Jim Sardonis of Randolph, Vermont created two large black granite whale tales entitled "Reverence." This sculpture spent 10 years in Randolph before being sold and moved to Technology Park in South Burlington where it remains today. It was originally meant to anchor a sculpture park but that is yet to come about.

Consequently the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Vermont Community Foundation commissioned Jim to create a larger bronze version, 'Whale Dance' which was installed in July of 2019 and sits on the same spot where "Reverence" spent its first ten years. As you can see in the photo above, 'Whale Dance' is framed by a stunning view of the mountains beyond.

Graffiti

Jim contacted me to remove graffiti. Crayon or lipstick pen appeared in two areas each about 10" square. I agreed to address this immediately even though it was the middle of winter, because graffiti is not only damaging and often ugly, it also encourages more graffiti.

Screenshot_1

Treatment

Removal was easy. I applied acetone which removes most paint and other markings from metal without disturbing the patina. Acetone can be used no matter how cold the weather. Luckily the graffiti was not etched which would have required much more work.

It took about a half-hour. After removing the graffiti I applied a dark wax at the artist's request.

Inspection

In addition to the graffiti removal, I also inspected the sculpture.

Related Projects:

There are no cracks. About two dozen pits of 1/16" diameter or less appear across the surface. These are not a concern since there's no indication of any penetration below the patina such as green spots or streaks.

There are scuff marks where kids have climbed over the wide lower surfaces.

A light green sheen appears on the surface indicating that weather may be causing slight oxidation. The artist informed me that this is by design. It makes the dark surface feel more organic and alive, like whale skin. This is surprisingly effective and a wonderful treatment I never saw before.

Special Effect on Whale Dance by Jim Sardonis
Scuff marks, pits, and faint green sheen.

The sculpture is embedded in the hillside. The foundation is hidden under the surface of the ground. For additional information about the installation please refer to this fine article.

I recommended signage which is proven to reduce vandalism. I also suggested coating the entire surface with a polymer for added protection which we agreed to do in the future.

Why Coat Bronze

Bronze sculpture has traditionally been coated with wax to protect it from
conditions that can harm the metal surface, such as bird droppings, salt air,
and acid rain.

I recommend a polymer coating rather than wax for outdoor sculpture
because it seals small cracks and pits, lasts as much as 10 years (wax lasts less than a year on outdoor sculpture), and is less expensive to apply
and maintain.

Furthermore, polymer coatings are now used by most outdoor sculpture
conservators, reflecting a growing satisfaction with a product that is
relatively new (30 years) in the conservation industry.

This treatment will restore a ‘new’ look which is virtually identical to an
original dark brown semi-gloss bronze patina. The satin effect can be
adjusted by the manufacturer to match perfectly whatever the artists
intends.

Plus, no maintenance is required other than wiping with a cotton cloth and
tap water as needed. When the coating fades, a new coat can be applied
without removing the old one, and this can be done by anyone with painting
skills. Two coats can last as long as 10 years depending on weather
conditions.

I plan to coat “Whale Dance” in the spring. As part of my guarantee, I will return to inspect this work annually for free.

Fountain Restoration in Lisbon

by

The Holiday Card

In June of 2018, I restored an historic fountain at our embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. Though pleased with the outcome, I never imagined who else might notice!

In 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife visited the embassy. They were so impressed by the fountain that he and his wife chose it for the cover of their holiday card which went out to all State Department employees and contractors.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with the Director of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Will Moser
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with the Director of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Will Moser
The cover of the Pompeo family holiday card 2019
The cover of the Pompeo family holiday card 2019 - notice the face on the left is a detail from the fountain.
Detail of Pompeo Family Holiday Card
Inside of the card
Detail of Pompeo Family Holiday Card
Card cover detail of the Lisbon fountain

Restoration

Decades of iron, calcium, lime and old darkened sealer heavily stained the antique tiles and marble features of the fountain. Plus, the plumbing leaked and the walkway around the fountain, made of white limestone, had darkened with moss and mold.

antique tile
Before restoration

Not knowing the best technique for cleaning antique tile, I sought guidance from one of Portugal's leading handmade tile manufacturers, Viuva Lamego. Seeing my interpreter and surmising that I did not speak Portuguese, the director turned to me and tapped his teeth!

Like Cleaning Teeth

This was my introduction to the fine art of cleaning antique tile. It's like cleaning teeth, and the best equipment for the job are dental tools. You can scrape the tile with metal and you won't damage it at all. Just don't tap or press on the surface or it will crack.

The careful work took several days followed by training for embassy staff so that they can wipe the fountain surfaces once a week to keep it looking fresh.

Restored Fountain by Bob Hannum
Finished

History

So, what's the age of the fountain and who's the face?

The property was a farm that goes way back: pre-16th century. It is one of the few that survived the great Portuguese earthquake in the early 1700s.

The property was then bought by a rich family who rebuilt and expanded the farm estate in the late 1700s. This is when the handmade tile was added, including what you see on the fountain. So, we know the date of the tile: late 18th century. The marble face and shell may be older.

Related Projects:

The US State Dept bought the property in the 1980s, built the embassy, and restored several of the most important buildings. This fountain was moved at that time from another location on the farm. Extensive tile restoration was done at that time, most likely including the sealant that over time turned black.

This was my first visit to Portugal and I soon learned that ceramic tile, particularly the blue and white pattern covering this fountain, has a special place in the history of this country. Nearly every building in Lisbon is covered with them, and you can tell how old a building is just by the tile pattern.

The Moors introduced Islamic art and mosaic tile to the Iberian peninsula, now Portugal, in the 8th century. The story goes that the Portuguese King Manuel I was awestruck by the beauty of Moorish tile when he visited the Alhambra Palace in southern Spain. He immediately ordered that his palace in Portugal be similarly decorated. And so 'azulejos', originally white and blue ceramic tiles, were fully embraced by the Portuguese even after the Moors were driven from Portugal in the 15th century.

Iconography

Here’s what I know about the face. It likely depicts one of two ancient gods, the Roman god of waterways, Oceanus, or the Lusitanian god of fountains, Duberticus.

Oceanus is an oft-depicted figure and face on European fountains. He is the primordial Titan god of the earth-encircling river Okeanos, the source of all the earth’s fresh water – river, well, and rain. He also regulates the heavenly bodies that rise from and set into his waters. His hair and/or ears and/or beard is often depicted with a wavy shell-like or water-like pattern as seen on the ears of this face and the crest of water over his head. Note the shell at the top of the fountain, supporting the idea that we’re looking at a figure associated with water.

The fountain, as with others on this property, were originally connected to an aqueduct system, and parts of the original aqueduct can still be seen on the property. It was fed by a well that is still on the property but now closed. We are proposing to open the well and use it once-again to feed all the fountains.

The face is made of marble as is the shell. The fountain top stones and the surrounding stones of the walkway are limestone which is prevalent throughout Portugal.

So why isn’t the face Neptune or Poseidon, famous gods of water and oceans? Early on in Greek and Roman mythology, Poseidon and Neptune were distinct. Neptune was associated with fresh water and Poseidon, the sea. At some time in the BC era, Neptune and Poseidon became interchangeable as the god of the sea. When depicted in sculpture Poseidon and Neptune are never without a trident or similar motif, and I don’t see any sign of one anywhere near this Lisbon face.

Duberticus is the Lusitanian god of fountains. Lusitanian god worship centered around the area that now includes Lisbon and predates the arrival of the Romans circa 200 BC. There are no known existing images of Duberticus. However, this farm is very old and the fountain is original to the farm. Many Portuguese consider their proud heritage to be Lusitanian, and the Lusitanians fought off Roman rule for decades, so fountains in this area are least likely to depict anything related to Rome. This just may be the only exiting depiction of Duberticus!