9/30/2015
Check out this great video that Multimedia Producer Scott Litutchy for University Relations at WVU made of me building one of ten movable walls for the Art Museum of West Virginia University
Since February I have been actively fabricating, designing, and all over wearing many hats to ensure that the new Art Museum of WVU was up and running in time for its inaugural exhibition. Within a 3 1/2 months I built over 10 pedestals and 10 moveable walls with very little assistance. Now that it is all up I can finally have some time to contribute to this blog again. Here are some pics of the build out.
The frames for the moveable walls. I built a jig using two tables by clamping them together. Metal tabs were temporarily welded to hold the framework into place while they were welded.
Plates cut and drilled for the casters.
With all ten frames fabricated it's time for casters.
Build up started. I used 5/8 plywood for the base and then studded it in like you would a house.
We aren't planning on hanging anything too heavy on the walls so I backed them with 1/4 plywood which is plenty for painting and small objects.
Dry run to make sure they looked good in the exhibition space.
Fresh pedestals waiting for a coat of paint.
Currently I am the acting Preparator for the Mesaros Galleries and the museum for West Virginia University. This summer we have been documenting and recording art works in the archive to a digital format for the universities slide room.
The works are so varied in size and weight I have been applying my fabrication skills in designing a more proficient way to photograph the art without trying to reinvent the wheel. I installed a fast track system from Lowes and customized the track system so that we can hang works easier. I also installed a 16 gauge piece of mild steel to the wall so that we can use neodymium magnets, which are small but super strong to photograph prints and art works that are not framed and on paper. We can either crop the magnets out later or fix them in Photoshop. Utilizing magnets also cuts down on the need to use push pins, possibly damaging the work and it saves the wall behind as well.
As we are documenting the work I am also removing the wire system and installing a D ring system in lieu of having to deal with loose and sometimes cumbersome wires.
Upgraded the hanging system on this Blanche Lazzell today.
Getting up close with Chuck Close.
Here's an image after the drywall was hung.
