AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

The Topaz Museum in Delta, Utah houses a variety of artifacts that come from the Topaz incarceration site, used from 1942 to 1945. The area consists of one square mile of land now owned by the museum that once was the location of barracks where 8,100 Americans of Japanese descent lived after being forced to leave their homes on the West Coast. Not only does the collection include examples of everyday items family members brought with them from home, it also consists of a surprising variety of artwork and objects that was made on-site by the relocated individuals during the time they lived at Topaz. The harsh conditions of the western Utah desert, with extremely cold winters and hot summers, very little shade or vegetation, loose soil, high winds, and the presence of snow and ice collecting on surfaces for long periods of time present challenges to many pieces conserved outdoors. Some very significant examples made on-site include, but are not limited to, at least three cement lanterns made for a Buddhist temple created by individuals at the camp. One very large, incomplete, three-legged toro lantern, along with two unique lanterns that would have originally lined and illuminated the path to the Buddhist temple, made of cement and local materials, have made their way from the site to the museum, and have passed through the hands and yards of members of the local community. Originally intended to function in the garden surrounding the Buddhist temple, these sculptures have greatly deteriorated over the years, most likely due to a combination of exposure to harsh environmental conditions as well as the composition of available concrete and other materials used to create the objects. Vandalism is also a common problem that many of the artifacts on site face. Conservation treatment for these objects has been challenging to plan and execute considering both the conditions and composition of materials, particularly when faced with the decision to display these pieces outdoors. The organization of the space and planning for an adapted method of limiting the effects of the harsh environmental conditions on the treated objects remains to be determined. Working closely with the museum and other collaborators on possible protective methods for these sculptures destined to remain outdoors has proven to be an interesting and fruitful collaboration to problem-solve for this unique collection. Current methods for protecting outdoor sculptures have been considered, as well as partial coverings designed to limit the possibility of snow and/or ice collecting on the sculptures, but we have not yet found a satisfying solution. Not only does the successful method of preventive conservation need to meet the needs of the cement sculptures but it also needs to consider the way in which the space is organized and the effect it may have on the display of the objects. Long-term conservation of these objects outdoors will require open-mindedness, flexibility, collaboration, careful interpretation, and an effective solution to protect these unique pieces from the harsh environment in which they were created.