More Conservation Treatment Awards Wrap Up

Scottsdale, Arizona

Windows to the West before treatment.

The sculpture was damaged and suffered from corrosion at its base.

Louise Nevelson’s Windows to the West in Scottsdale, Arizona, was sent to Tallix Foundry, in Beacon, New York, for its conservation. Conservator Glenn Wharton consulted on this project. When the sculpture was dismantled for shipping, further deterioration—due to water seepage in horizontal seams and water retention in the base—was discovered. Some of the pieces were remade at the foundry. Weep holes were drilled into the base to alleviate future water collection, and a zinc primer was painted on the facing surfaces of the boxes to deter future rusting. Angled cor-ten steel plates were installed in hidden upper portions of the sculpture’s boxes to deter pigeon roosting. These pieces were patinated to closely match the existing weathered patina.

In February 2004, the sculpture was re-installed in the same general site in the Scottsdale Civic Center mall, but with an improved concrete plinth, which takes the sculpture out of the water environment it was in before. The horizontal seams were caulked with silicone at the base on site.

Windows to the West after treatment and reinstallation.

In 2004 a cookie and lemonade reception for the rededication was attended by about 100 citizens, the Mayor, City Council members, City staff, Public Art staff, and interested committee members. Lapel buttons that had a picture of the sculpture and “Louise Nevelson: She’s Back!!” were distributed, as well as copies of the original dedication program. Distinguished citizens involved in the original commission of the sculpture were recognized, and Mayor Mary Manross spoke to the group about the importance of public art and caring for it. The sculpture was wrapped in a big pink bow that was ceremonially cut. Many “thank yous” were given, including a thank you to Heritage Preservation’s SOS! program for their financial support.

The rededication ceremony was attended by local leaders and descendants of some of the settlers interred beneath the monument.

Newark, New Jersey
The Settlers' Monument, a zinc sculpture approximately 25 feet tall, was erected in 1889 in Fairmount Cemetery to honor Newark's 17-century founders. By the 1980s, it had leaned and cracked and was in danger of collapsing. So the Newark Preservation and Landmarks Committee applied for and received an SOS! Assessment Award, which enabled them to have Carol Grissom, an expert on zinc sculpture, to examine the sculpture and make treatment recommendations. The group then received an SOS! Conservation Treatment Award and hired Poich Art Works of Rock Tavern, New York, for help in the conservation treatment.The sculpture was dismantled and removed for treatment using a crane and flatbed truck. At the foundry, the base was repaired and a new stainless steel internal framework was installed. Per the assessor's recommendation, holes and cracks were sealed, but the exterior was not changed or coated. Meanwhile, a new concrete base was built by a city contractor to support the sculpture and seal the underground crypt, the contents of which were not disturbed.

During the treatment process, a class from a nearby public school visited the site and learned about the city's founding. The inscriptions and reliefs tell the story of Newark's earliest known history.

The project helped bring together many people and organizations interested in Newark's history. The Settlers' Monument was rededicated in May 2004, and public officials, religious and civic leaders, preservationists, and descendants of some of the settlers interred beneath the monument attended the ceremony.

Windows to the West photos courtesy the Scottsdale Cultural Council.

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