Public Art Cleaning In Progress

In the spring of 1999, as part of the millennium celebrations, the Gallery commissioned two new public artworks, including Four Boats Stranded: Red and Yellow, Black and White (2000) by the Vancouver artist Ken Lum, which was installed on the Gallery’s rooftop.

The four boats are scaled-down versions of a First Nations longboat, Captain George Vancouver’s three-masted sailing ship, the Komagata Maru (the ship carrying Indian immigrants that caused an international incident in 1914), and a cargo ship that recently carried migrants from China’s Fujian Province to Vancouver.

FIND OUT MORE

Since the artwork was installed in 2001, it has been cleaned regularly four times a year, and the Gallery’s Conservation staff have done periodic condition inspections and small repairs, as needed.

This year, the Gallery contracted Andrew Todd Conservators Ltd. to undertake the cleaning project, with assistance from the Gallery’s Head Conservator Beth Wolchock and Preparator Brandon Cotter.

We asked Beth to tell us more about how this public artwork is maintained and protected from the elements over time.

Beth Wolchock: Prior to cleaning, a full inspection and condition assessment was undertaken by Gallery Conservation staff, photographs were taken, and a cleaning proposal was designed.

Documentation of all aspects of the project is undertaken prior to and after the work is completed. The department has years of documentation of this artwork, and it is referenced to determine the condition and treatment of the work.

All conservation work follows the code of ethics and guidelines and standards of practice from the Canadian Association of Conservators. The treatment and repair techniques conform to recognized best practice.

To clean the boats, water is brought up to the roof via a hose from a washroom in the Annex Building, which runs across many parts of the lower roof until it reaches the upper roof, where the boats are located. A Tucker pole (usually used for window washing) is used to reach the far sides of the yellow and white boats. It is connected to a hose and has a soft brush on the end.

At times, cleaning the boats involves physically leaning over the edge of the roof, especially for the far sides of the black and red boats, which cannot be accessed with the Tucker pole. A WorkSafe Fall Protection Plan is created before any work starts. All personnel involved must wear safety harnesses anchored to the roof brackets while accessing the boats.

Additional hand cleaning and rinsing are carried out with a gentle spray to remove dirt and mold. Small repairs are undertaken to fill cracks and losses in the surface and around the small lifeboat riggings and periscope features on each boat.

BW: Since the artwork was installed in 2001, it has been cleaned regularly four times a year. Additionally, Conservation staff does condition inspections and small repairs, as necessary. Although the boats are exposed to heavy weathering and environmental factors, they are in good physical condition due to years of surface maintenance.

This year, Andrew Todd Conservators Ltd. was contracted to undertake the cleaning project, with assistance from Gallery Preparator, Brandon Cotter.

The boats have been inspected every five years by an engineer to extend the permit for their installation. A regular maintenance and inspection schedule ensures that they are safely anchored to the roof of the building.

BW: Preserving artworks in an uncontrolled environment, such as the roof of the Gallery, always invites unexpected yet memorable moments.

This year, after cleaning the yellow boat, we arrived the following day to discover a bird had taken some food to the deck of the yellow boat. Our guest left behind some pineapple and pepperoni chunks and possibly the crust of a pizza. We needed to clean this area again in order to apply the wax.