BAACG Weathering Steel Cocktail Hour

Do you love the sculptures of Richard Serra, Mark di Suvero, and Charles Ginnever? Join us as Christine Haynes of Preservation Arts discusses weathering steel, which has become a popular material for outdoor sculptures in part due to its protective layer of compact corrosion. Instead of preventing corrosion, weathering steel corrodes naturally and immediately, forming a compact rust layer that is relatively protective. However, environmental factors such as pooling water, acidic bird droppings, and biogrowth can cause rapid-forming localized corrosion that jeopardizes this compact corrosion layer. Additionally, graffiti, scratches, and burnish marks can easily mar the surface. Current methods of localized conservation treatments lead to irregularities in the surface, rarely producing desirable results for minimalist sculptures.

This presentation will explore procedures for examination and conservation of outdoor weathering steel sculptures during the time of manufacture, during installation planning and implementation, and during its continued preservation maintenance. Themes will include how to collaborate with artists, manufacturers, installation crews, and clients in addition to providing tangible treatment options.