Jenny Holzer Art Installation Relocation

Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville, AR

After an outdoor installation of a Contemporary Artist Jenny Holzer’s “The Venice Piece” was found to be severely deteriorating, we were contracted to survey and assess the condition of the artwork and identify appropriate means for its preservation.

The installation comprised of text engravings on pavement and benches. After careful assessment of the extend and cause for the deterioration, it was determined that the materials used were simply not capable of withstanding the outdoor conditions at the site. After consulting with the artist, it was decided to dismantle the installation and store it, pending later installation at an interior location. Our conservators documented and mapped the layout of the installation and then carefully dismantled its individual pieces, labeling each in to facilitate later reassembling.