CT scans protect artifacts in refurbished gallery
Hawke's Bay Museum & Art Gallery staff are using the scans as they prepare a return to $18 million building.
Hawke’s Bay Museum & Art Gallery staff are using CT scans as they prepare to move back to a refurbished $18 million building.
The employees moved out two years ago so the building could be enlarged and refurbished.
They are now commissioning the premises and installing exhibitions before opening to the public in September.
Part of the work involves obtaining CT scans of sculptures to help choose the most appropriate and safest way to exhibit them.
Events such as the Christchurch earthquake have focused their minds on a different form of preservation using the latest technology.
For example, they will use specialised Takiya stainless steel painting hooks made by a Japanese company to hang paintings in the MTG galleries.
Christchurch Art Gallery is the only user of this system in New Zealand.
Objects on display will also be protected from earthquake damage by special mounts supporting them.
Off display, packaging provides sufficient protection and straps will be used to secure boxes on shelves.
Special compactor shelving on rollers will also be used.
The assessment of a sculpture known as the Bather (Grande Baignante III, by Emilio Greco) in the Octagon Gallery involved approaching Hawke’s Bay Radiology to scan the heavy work.
It showed the sculpture has thick ankles and the gallery can use shorter supports to attach it to a mount fitted to a base isolator. This allows it to sway safely in an earthquake.
The new building wing includes upper floor galleries, while downstairs the lower basement level will house the 1931 earthquake exhibition.
The museum’s new wing and main entrance features a light-filled foyer and atrium opening to Tennyson S, with large glass windows overlooking Marine Parade, the Soundshell and the Masonic Hotel.
The extensive task of moving items into the new building begins in July.
Chris Hutching for NBR NZ Property Investor
Thu, 20 Jun 2013
Thu, 20 Jun 2013
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CT scans protect artifacts in refurbished gallery
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