Preservation of Outdoor Sculpture Collection

FAIN: PG-50761-10

Western Washington University (Bellingham, WA 98225-5996)
Sarah Clark-Langager (Project Director: May 2009 to September 2011)

Hiring a consultant to conduct a preservation assessment of 28 pieces of outdoor sculpture and to update the university's procedures for maintaining the sculptures. The collection includes works made of concrete, bronze, wood, granite, steel, stone, aluminum, cast iron, and other sculptural media and is used in art classes, other educational and public programming, and scholarly research.

The goal of this grant is to: (a) assess the current condition of the nationally acclaimed WWU Outdoor Sculpture Collection including 28 works; (b) update the philosophy and procedures (outlined in 1995 survey) presently used in annual maintenance in order to comply with best practices in the field today; and, (c) reevaluate technical practices used on specific metal, wood, concrete and stone sculptures.