Another new, light-infused state art museum

Last week our director Alex Nyerges coordinated a field trip to our neighboring peer museum, the North Carolina Museum of Art. As the two of the largest and most comprehensive state art museums, we have lots in common – including upcoming grand openings within a week of each other.

NCMA’s entire permanent collection is being moved to the new wing, a dazzling modern building designed by Tom Phifer. Set in a 164-acre park with paths, plazas fountains and an amphitheatre, the new building is set apart from the original museum, a low brick structure. Two spectacular sculptures in the park are a stainless steel tree by Roxy Paine and a hewn cedar sculpture by Ursula von Rydingsvard.

The new building is all about light. Anodized aluminum alternates with floor-to- ceiling windows, topped by an undulating roof, which translates to a modernist coffered ceiling inside. Iconic oval orifices in each ceiling cell emit clear, diffused light. We watched staff installing a vast El Anatsui tapestry made with pieced tiny metal labels and caps from thousands of liquor bottles from his home country of Ghana. His art always make me think of the steady work he must provide for trash pickers. The Rodin sculpture collection is grouped in a light-infused gallery, which opens onto a sculpture terrace with large scale Rodins and reflecting ponds.

The galleries look great. I will look forward to returning when it is completely finished. Maybe I can be there to see the Paper Hand Puppets, a legendary regional performance group.

- Suzanne Hall, Chief Communications Officer, VMFA

Restoring a piece of history

(Photos provided by Andrew Baxter)

The massive conservation project for the 19th-century Indian Pavilion at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts came to me in a phone call from Kathy Gillis, VMFA Chief Conservator of Sculpture & Decorative Arts. During that call she gave me an overview of the project, indicating the structure weighs around 27 tons. Faxes were sent with an inventory of the numerous parts, as well as photos of the Pavilion in India.

The many lists, dimensions, and drawings indicated that we were dealing with a massive and complex jigsaw puzzle. Looking at the jumble of crates in storage led us to the same conclusion.

Our bid for conservation treatment was selected in 2005 and re-building began in our Fredericksburg studio. After becoming familiar with how the structure worked as a whole, the assemblage process started to make sense. Hundreds of restorations were made to the intricate floor. Then the work went vertical.

As the Pavilion took shape, it became incredibly rewarding to realize what a magnificent and sophisticated creation in stone that we were a part of. The amazing relationship of the naturalistic flowing carved arches and columns combined with the tight geometric pattern of the floor evolved, and the effect was astounding.

We were only able to erect one quarter of the structure at a time in Fredericksburg, so the final installation at VMFA has been a revelation. Conservation technicians Scott McKee and James Robertson have shown their excellent and diverse technical abilities and dedication throughout the project.

The process has been a once-in-a-lifetime privilege for the three of us.

Andrew Baxter, President, Bronze et al, Ltd.

Related content: View a video of the Indian Pavilion installation on VMFA's YouTube channel. Learn more about the project in an article from the Feb. 28 Richmond Times-Dispatch.