Edmonton Public Art conservators Mitra Saeedi and David Simmonds join Calgary Public Art’s Elisa Contreras Cigales in the maintenance of Ascension (photo courtesy of City of Calgary)
Mitra Saeedi and David Simmonds, both public art conservators in Edmonton, came to Calgary recently.
They met with Calgary’s public art team to learn more about custom wax treatments for protecting bronze artworks from Alberta’s harsh weather conditions.
“I am learning about how this team here treats bronze with a special wax they’ve created themselves here in Calgary that will hold up best in our unique climate and conditions,” said Saeedi in a news release.
The teams were working together to treat Ascension, a work by artists Danira Miralda, Edward Beltran and Rodolfo Miralda Bulnes. Artworks such as this one require ongoing maintenance because they are outside, but also need special treatment if vandalized by graffiti.
The conservation process involved a custom wax treatment to prevent the bronze from corroding and to protect the patina, keeping the colour the artists chose.
“We’re using a hot wax that is a mixture that we developed with other conservators that is appropriate for our climate,” said Sophia Zweifel, Calgary Public Art’s lead conservator, in the release.
After washing the sculpture, the conservators then heated the sculpture, controlling the heat to get it to the precise temperature needed for the wax application.
A team member then applied a special wax with a boar hair brush, the only type that doesn’t leave debris, Zweifel said.
“We don’t use proprietary products and we try to share information among other conservators as much as possible,” Zweifel said.
“It really creates a strong sense of community in our industry. ”
Source: City of Calgary
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