Visitors to Grounds For Sculpture may notice something missing from Rat’s Pond this spring.
A large-scale sculpture long positioned in Rat’s Pond at Grounds For Sculpture has been removed from public view as it undergoes a year-long restoration project, supported in part by a federal arts grant.
The 42-acre sculpture park announced it has received $40,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts through its Grants for Arts Projects program to help fund the conservation of Leucantha, a monumental aluminum work by sculptor Philip Grausman.
The piece, which has been part of the park’s collection since 1997, was recently deinstalled and will be restored by the Johnson Atelier, a fabrication and conservation studio that formally joined Grounds For Sculpture’s operations last year.
Park officials said the work will undergo treatment to address wear from decades of exposure to the elements.
“Over time, the sculpture’s protective surface coating has weathered under sun, wind, water, and pollution,” the organization said in its announcement, noting that the restoration will include removing and replacing the deteriorated coating to preserve both the surface and structural integrity of the piece.
The project marks the first major conservation effort for the sculpture since 2007, when similar work was completed in consultation with the artist.
While the sculpture is off view, Grounds For Sculpture plans to use the restoration as an opportunity to expand access and documentation around its collection. The organization said it will commission a 3D digital scan of the piece and create a smaller, touchable model designed for visitors who are blind or have low vision.
A New Jersey-based videographer will also document the conservation process, which officials said could serve as a resource for other institutions undertaking similar work.
In addition to the federal funding, Grounds For Sculpture has launched a public campaign to raise an additional $50,000 needed to complete the project. Early contributions have come from several private donors and arts supporters.
The sculpture park, founded by artist Seward Johnson, features more than 300 works across its Hamilton campus and is open year-round. Leucantha has been a prominent fixture in a pond area accessible to visitors and diners at Rat’s Restaurant, one of the park’s most visible gathering spaces.
Park officials said the restoration is intended to ensure the work can be returned to display and maintained for future visitors once the project is complete.
