Installation and Relocation

The pending arrival of a sculpture at its new home engenders excitement and anticipation in the sculptor as well as the patron.  It’s easy to get caught up in the drama of the moment.

The penultimate steps of transportation, installation and/or relocation of sculptures, especially large works, require special equipment and expertise.  Designing the installation often requires engineering skills to deal with building structure, soil conditions, and/or weather.  Correctly packaging the work for transport and proper site preparation are essential for a successful move.

In the course of hundreds of installations and relocations, I have developed a portfolio of techniques and resources for accomplishing this safely and efficiently.  I am always personally involved with my works and am often employed to assist others.

For example, shown below are some of the steps in the recent removal of fellow Maine sculptor Dan Ucci’s granite sculpture, Pink Pearl from a symposium site.  Loading this 3½ ton (3.2 mt), two-piece sculpture took two people about 1½ hours on-site to rig and load.  Note the asymmetric weight distribution and the sharp (fragile) edges that must be protected during the lift and transport.

This video shows the installation of Zephyr at the Acadia Memorial Hospital.  Note that the site and base were prepared several days before the video starts.  This is a precision operation: the pin & sculpture (several tons) must mate with only a few millimeters of clearance in order for the adhesive to bond. As with the sculpture shown above, we must cope with asymmetric weight distribution and fragile edges. Thanks to Acadia Hospital for this video.