Art Market Monitor

Global Coverage ~ Unique Analysis

  • AMMpro
  • AMM Fantasy Collecting Game
  • Podcast
  • Contact Us

When Modern Becomes Antique

December 8, 2009 by Marion Maneker

If you’re interested in engineering mysteries, The Wall Street Journal has a story for you about I.M. Pei’s East Wing of the National Gallery in Washington, DC. The article goes into fascinating detail to present the engineering whodunit (or, really, whatdunit) behind the marble panels that seem to be popping off the structure:

National Gallery East WingOne or two of the 2-by-5, 438-pound marble panels on the building’s main air shaft were tilting out. At first, gallery officials believed the problem was localized, caused by the freezing of water lodged on the shaft’s deteriorated asphalt lining. But tilted panels soon started cropping up on different parts of the building. To date, the displacement of some 400 of the East Building’s 16,200 exterior panels—about 2.5% of the total—has been observed. That may seem a small amount. But because this is a public venue, and because “we can’t model or predict the rate of failure,” says Susan Wertheim, the gallery’s deputy administrator for capital projects, National Gallery officials decided in 2008 to reinstall all of the panels. They plan on hiring a contractor to oversee the project next year. […] The project is scheduled for completion in 2013 at an estimated cost of $85 million. A cordon sanitaire has been discreetly established by means of wooden entrance pavilions, roped-off entrance steps, and temporary fencing around the building. But visitors can’t identify the problem because newly tilting panels are swiftly wedged back into place with leaden shims.

Ultra Modern Building Shows Signs of Age (Wall Street Journal)

More from Art Market Monitor

  • Christie’s First Open = $10.5mChristie’s First Open = $10.5m
  • Does a Former US Atty Have a Better Example of Art & Money Laundering than Basquiat’s Hannibal?Does a Former US Atty Have a Better Example of Art & Money Laundering than Basquiat’s Hannibal?
  • Scenes from Indian Art Summit, 1Scenes from Indian Art Summit, 1
  • Detroit's Cont. Art Inst. Is FunkyDetroit's Cont. Art Inst. Is Funky
  • Vernissage TV: David Smith at Hauser + Wirth ZurichVernissage TV: David Smith at Hauser + Wirth Zurich
  • What If All the Board Members Went Bankrupt?What If All the Board Members Went Bankrupt?

Filed Under: Museums

About Marion Maneker

LiveArt

Want to get Art Market Monitor‘s posts sent to you in our email? Sign up below by clicking on the Subscribe button.

  • About Us/ Contact
  • Podcast
  • AMMpro
  • Newsletter
  • FAQ

twitterfacebooksoundcloud
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
California Privacy Rights
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Advertise on Art Market Monitor
 

Loading Comments...