Harlem Hospital Conservation Project

Vertis Hayes Mural Salvage and Relocation – EverGreene Architectural Arts, New York (Conservation project carried out with EverGreene Architectural Arts)

Challenge

This project, conducted with Evergreene Architectural Arts, involved the urgent and complex task of salvaging historic murals from a building scheduled for demolition. The primary challenge was the safe detachment and preparation of a large painting by the renowned African American artist Vertis Hayes for relocation.

Technical Solution 

The conservation procedure focused on detaching, stabilizing, and preparing the mural for transport and reinstallation using advanced techniques:

• Cleaning and Consolidation: The mural surface was first carefully cleaned and consolidated in situ to stabilize the paint layer prior to removal.

  
  

• Detachment (Strappo/Stacco): The painting was skillfully removed from the wall using a suitable method (strappo or stacco, depending on the layer).

  
  

• Structural Support: The detached mural was structurally consolidated, infilled to address losses, and meticulously mounted onto a lightweight, rigid honey-combed aluminum panel.

  
  

• Aesthetic Integration: The final stage included comprehensive inpainting to achieve chromatic integration, ensuring the artwork was ready for permanent installation in its new location.

The Result and Images

The successful salvage of the Vertis Hayes mural preserved a significant piece of African American artistic heritage from certain destruction. By combining advanced detachment techniques with a modern structural support system, the artwork was transitioned from a condemned structure to a stabilized state, ready to be appreciated by future generations.

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Painel 1

Mural after removal from the wall

Aluminum honey-combed panel before mural was mInfillingounted.

Removal of the protective facing

Mural after facing was removed

Infilling

Inpainting

Painting After Conservation Treatment

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Painel 02

Conservation project while working with Evergreene Architectural Arts in New York.

We had to remove all of the murals from the walls of the building being torn down. This second mural, a painting also by famous African American artist Vertis Hayes, was cleaned and removed from the wall. The canvas support had to be repaired due to a number of tears and holes and then it was remounted on a honey-combed aluminum panel to be later installed in its new location. The the paint layer was consolidated, infilled, and inpainted.

Canvas Repair on the back of the mural

Removal of the Facing

Damage found on the paint layer.  All the areas of loss had to be carefully consolidated.

Mural once it was infilled

Mural after the Conservation treatment was finished

The Result and Images

The intervention successfully rescued the significant mural by Vertis Hayes, ensuring its preservation and structural stability through mounting on a contemporary support. The artwork is now prepared for secure transportation and reinstallation in its designated new home.