Leave it better: painting a new face: Chicago restores historic murals throughout city parks.Project: The Mural mural Painting applied to and made integral with the surface of a wall or ceiling. Its roots can be found in the universal desire that led prehistoric peoples to create cave paintings—the desire to decorate their surroundings and express their ideas and beliefs. Preservation Effort, Chicago, Ill. Problem: Historic murals painted in park field houses throughout the city of Chicago were in disrepair and in need of restoration. Some were flaking away while others were coated in a varnish varnish, homogeneous solution of gum or of natural or synthetic resins in oil (oil varnish) or in a volatile solvent (spirit varnish), which dries on exposure to air, forming a thin, hard, usually glossy film. that had discolored dis·col·or v. dis·col·ored, dis·col·or·ing, dis·col·ors v.tr. To alter or spoil the color of; stain. v.intr. To become altered or spoiled in color. the original art through the years. Many of the murals were coated with a century's worth of grime and one was damaged by graffiti graffiti Form of visual communication, usually illegal, involving the unauthorized marking of public space by an individual or group. Technically the term applies to designs scratched through a layer of paint or plaster, but its meaning has been extended to other markings. . Solution: Julia Bachrach, the park district's historian, chose a total of 58 murals painted between 1916 and 1941 for restoration, based on their condition and historic importance. Many of the aging murals were painted during socially significant periods of history, including the Progressive Era and the New Deal Era. The chosen murals will undergo a series of processes, including cleaning, varnish removal and canvas repair. During restoration, the murals are subject to minimal retouching with reversible reversible, adj capable of going through a series of changes in either direction, forward or backward (e.g., reversible chemical reaction). reversible hydrocolloid, n See hydrocolloid, reversible. conservation paints. The final step is to seal the murals with a varnish that protects the painted surfaces. Partnerships and Costs: The Mural Preservation Effort is the result of collaboration between the Chicago Park District The Chicago Park District is the oldest and (financially) largest park district in the nation, with a $385 million annual budget. The park district also has the excellent reputation of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per and the Chicago Conservation Center. The effort's total cost is $376,000, split evenly between the organizations, much of which has been given to the organizations through private, corporate and foundation donations. Timeline: The project began in May 2004 with its first phase, which saw the restoration of 35 murals in six parks. The second phase is currently underway to restore the remaining 23 murals in an additional six parks. The project is expected to be completed in early 2007. Community Impact: Heather Becker, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of the Chicago Conservation Center says that the murals afford the Chicago public something unique. "I think the most important thing for people to realize is the ownership of these pieces by the general public and the city itself," Becker explains. "It's rare to have an opportunity where such glorious works of art are in public spaces." |
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