The thermal printing technology used for the images on the fabric is obsolete

Tag : Thermal Fabric

No one had any idea it would be so bad. According to Irvine, theCenter sits between five and six feet above street level. Formerdirector and current curator Clint Willour says the building hadnever flooded in its 40-year history as an art center. "I'm toldthe last time it flooded would have been Carla in 1961," saysWillour. When Ike hit, the exhibition "Flora/Fauna and OtherNatural Concerns," a ten-year survey of artist Helen Altman's work,was on view ­downstairs.
Before Irvine evacuated the island, she placed towels and blanketsat the thresholds of the doors, just in case any rain was drivenunder them, and moved a sculpture from the floor to a table in whatwould turn out to be a futile gesture. It was impossible for thefive-foot-two Irvine and her assistant to move the artist's massivequilted fabric works. They are up to 15 feet long and 12 feet high.According to Irvine, it took three strong guys on ladders toinstall each one. The mandatory evacuation order left no time toget a crew together.
Altman's works took a serious hit. Irvine, who lives on the island,had evacuated to Victoria, but Willour made it in from Houstonduring the brief "look and leave" period. It took Willour andadministrative director Robin Cushman three hours to get in. Theymade it in by 5 p.m., but had to be off the island by6 p.m. Thecenter's doors were swollen shut, and short of kicking them in,there was no way to get into the building. Willour didn't want toleave it unsecured either. But peering into the Center's windows,he could see the four-foot-high water line and pedestals overturnedand strewn around the gallery.
Willour didn't know when they'd be allowed back on the island. Butback in Houston, he learned that the art services company Tyart wason the island removing artwork for the GAC's treasurer. The artcenter's contractor got Tyart into the building and removed thework that was still on the walls so it could be placed withconservators.
Helen Altman, based in Fort Worth, hasn't seen her damaged artworkyet. She's just seen pictures. Those are bad enough. The showcontained around 38 pieces from the past ten years, and Altman saysall works were damaged except for the three that were hung higherthan the water level. Almost all of her large fabric works weresoaked. The threads may have begun to rot. "How they are cleaned,and if they can be cleaned, is still being worked out," says­Altman.
As for remaking the pieces, the thermal printing technology usedfor the images on the fabric is obsolete. Also, one of Altman's oldprinting companies is out of business, and the other no longer doesthat kind of printing. Other works incorporating vintage materialsbought on eBay, like careworn Steiff bears or cigar boxes, willalso be difficult to re-create.
Meanwhile, sculptures such as the artist's series of skulls moldedfrom compressed materials like glutinous rice, chili peppers andwildflowers, simply disintegrated. Almost all of Altman's series ofbaby blanket works were wiped out. Her large drawings, made with ablowtorch on wet paper, were also damaged. A catalog was going tobe produced in conjunction with the exhibition, but the works hadnot been photographed when the storm hit.
Willour and Altman's dealer, Betty Moody of Moody Gallery, arehandling the negotiations with the insurance company. In spite ofher losses, Altman says, "I have a lot to be grateful for —I'm okay, my dogs are okay. It is an aggravating process, but itcould have been much worse."
According to Irvine and Willour, the GAC is lucky its building isstill standing. "One thing I would like to stress," says Irvine,"is that had we not started renovation and stabilization of thefacade, there wouldn't have been a building to come back to." Theproject was begun last March and was in progress when Ike hit.
Repairs are going to take awhile. "I've seen hell, and it is theGalveston Art Center," Willour quipped when reached by cell phoneat the Center. He was in the midst of cleanup.
"Optimistically, we are looking at four to six months," saysIrvine. And like about everyone else Ike nailed, they are going tohave to figure out how to pay for those repairs. While the Centerhad a separate policy to cover artwork, they had only $10,000 worthof flood insurance. Irvine says she will be applying to FEMA'srelief fund for private nonprofits, as well as for Small BusinessAdministration loans, in addition to assistance offered by groupslike the Andy Warhol Foundation.
As for the short term, says Irvine, "On December 11 we were goingto have a black-tie gala. I don't think that's going to ­happennow."