Thanks David. I forgot to add that caveat to my discussion and agree 100%. I would always suggest that such work be done by trained conservators. All of our outdoor bronzes(42 works) are cleaned and coated by professionals except for basic cleaning as a result of bird poop and whatnot. **Thanks to all those people out there in museum donor land that make that impossible task possible for us.**

The reason I try to help my museum colleagues with such things is that I know they are going to do it themselves anyway in many circumstances, either as a result of lack of funds or some other reason. It seems better for them to have good and tested information than random internet hearsay. The care of trained professionals is certainly optimum, but care of any substantive form is better than none or worse yet harmful methodologies.

Great advice on placement and washing.

Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
316-978-5850

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Harvey
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 4:26 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Statue

Hi Deb,

I agree with most of what Mark said here, but as a professional
conservator who has done over 100 outdoor bronzes over the years there
are reasons why this sort of cleaning and coating is best left to
expereinced conservators or staff that have been trained by a
conservator. (The last outdoor sculpture I worked on was the 50 ft.
tall Lipschitz "Peace on Earth" bronze in the plaza of the LA Music
Center).

Because your sculpture is brand new this is the time to document it
thoroughly! Lots of photos and details of every bit of the surface. If
you know the foundry or the artist get as much documentation on its
fabrication and the specific details of the patina from them. Also ask
them if it has received any other coatings such as lacquer (usually
bad for outdoor metals) or wax.

If you have not placed it yet then here are some issues to take into
consideration. Do not place a sculpture where it is adjacent to
foilage - plants, flowers, bushes, trees. The leaves, pine cones,
bark, pollen, flowers and fruit will accumulate and not only retain
moisture on the surface of the sculpture but also will soluablize
things like tannins and other chemicals from the organic debris that
can stain and /or etch the surface. Also do not have those automatic
sprinklers going that will spray water on the sculpture or have
landscape staff spray it with water. I spend untold hours dealing with
mineral deposits from such things and if you eliminate those issues
right from the beginning you'll have a happier statue and one that
will cost far less to maintain in the future. Do not mount the statue
with a dissimilar metal such as steel - high grade stainless steel is
ok but try to have the installers use things like nylon or
polyethyelene washers to isolate the two different metals from each
other. Also check to see if the sculpture was made with weep holes.
Often the air inside of a sculpture can be warmer or colder then the
outside air and this will cause condensation on the interior, and
there also may be areas that allow rain water to seep inside. So you
do want the interior to drain and to have some air exchange. Find this
out before you caulk around the base - because it may be better not to
caulk depending on the specifics.

When washing a bronze sculpture no one should use a pressure washer
except for a trained conservator. I have seen instances where someone
used a pressure washer very aggresively and literally disfigured the
surface of a bronze or a stone statue or monument. Use a bucket of
clean water, a soft nylon bristle brush, and a non-ionic mild
detergent - we in conservation have one that we use (Orvus is not
non-ionic) but a store bought one can be OK (look at the diswasher
rinse aids used to eliminate spotting on glasses - read the label - it
should say non-ionic). Always avoid heavily perfumed detergents or
anything harsher than a mild dish washing detergent. Treat the surface
like you would if you were washing a Rolls Royce - you want to lossen
and remover dust and dirt but you never want to leave new scratches.
After this you should rise all of the surface throughly until no soap
film is left and then immediately wipe down with very soft towels /
cloths to dry and elminate spotting. If the sculpture is tall never
allow anyone to lean a ladder on it or to climb on it. Always use an
A-frame ladder or other way to getting up to the top that will not
contact the surface. This is all that I would recommend that you do
until a conservator can train your staff in the finer points of
applying wax to an outdoor sculpture. I have seen examples of
sculptures that were less than expertly waxed where there were visible
brush strokes. Why were they visible? Because the bad technique left a
textured surface that weathered and then corroded differentially,
leaving those brush strokes etched into the surface of the metal. Also
it is not good practice just to pile on wax once or twice a year and
letting all of that just build up.

Oh, and if this sculpture is to be part of a fountain, then contact me
off the list. There are a lot of problems inherent in outdoor
sculptures placed into fountains that can be avoided if they are
properly engineered from the start.

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, CA


On 10/10/07, Janzen, Mark <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Hi Deb,
>
> Absolutely, wash and wax it before you place it outdoors, or at least
> immediately after placing it outdoors. Even short term exposure to the
> elements can have serious permanent effects on unprotected bronze.
>
> First try to determine if it is already coated, and if so with what. Colored
> waxes are sometimes used to tweak a patina in the factory, and they can be
> unsettled by new coatings. Check to make sure your piece's coloring is an
> actual patina, and not colored wax by testing a small unobtrusive area with
> the soap and wax you intend to use(below). If it seems unstable or
> sensitive, then it should be left indoors until a conservator can address
> the work. If stable, then on to washing.
>
> Wash, never scrub no matter how dirty, with a soft brush(ferrules padded
> with duct tape) and a mild detergent solution like Orvus or Ivory. Rinse the
> brush often during the process. Wash from top to bottom. Rinse the piece
> very well and allow it to air dry for several hours. Use a soft paper
> towel(s) to blot off droplets and any pools on the work to speed the
> process.
>
> Then apply a good wax coating(s). I use "Butcher's bowling alley wax" at the
> suggestion of our conservation team. It is easy to apply and will dry clear
> and hard. Always use a different brush to apply the wax than you used to
> wash the piece, although the same type of natural hair brush should be used
> for both. The wax can be thinned with a little mineral spirits depending
> upon your application technique. Two coats would be optimum for a work that
> has never been coated before. You will get optimum results from both washing
> and waxing if done on clear sunny days, where the work is warmed by the sun.
>
> There are a few waxes out there that can do the job, but Butcher's covers
> most of the bases well and can be easily acquired online. There are also
> some newer experimental coatings, but they remain unconvincing. Do not use
> automotive waxes on bronze.
>
> Once cleaned, waxed, and dry, the work(s) can be lightly buffed with a
> cotton cloth to bring out the shine then left outdoors(I assume it would
> likely already be outdoors, but perhaps not). It is recommended that a new
> coating be applied approximately every six months depending on the harshness
> of your environment, with a minimum reapplication period of one year.
>
> Please give me a call or e-mail if you want further direction or advice.
>
>
> Mark Janzen
>
> Registrar/Collections Manager
>
> Ulrich Museum of Art
>
> Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
>
> 316-978-5850
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
> Of Debra Loguda-Summers
>  Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 1:54 PM
>  To: [log in to unmask]
>  Subject: Statue
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi everyone,
>
>
>
>
>
> I think this may have been an earlier discussion so I maybe repeating
> someone else.
>
>
>
>
>
> We just received a bronze statue to place in our Garden exhibit.  We were
> wondering how to clean and care for it.  Is there anything we can do now
> since it is new to help protect it better?
>
>
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
>
> Deb
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Debra Loguda-Summers, Curator
>  Still National Osteopathic Museum and National Center for Osteopathic
> History
>  800 West Jefferson
>  Kirksville, MO 63501
>  Phone: 660 626 2359
>  Fax: 660 626 2984
>  Toll Free: 1 866 626 ATSU Ext. 2359
>  [log in to unmask]
>  www.atsu.edu/museum
>
>
>
> The Mission of the Still National Osteopathic Museum is to collect,
> preserve, and make available artifacts and related materials to communicate
> the history and philosophy about the osteopathic principles of mind, body
> and spirit to a global audience
>
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