Hunter Museum of American Art

As Chief Preparator, I am often asked by friends and museum visitors how some of the larger and/or more problematic pieces of sculpture in the Hunter’s permanent collection are moved and installed. Consider, for instance, “Spatial Interactions: Aerographic Forms and Cantilevered Confluence” by Richard Hunt.

This massive installation hangs in the Hunter’s Main Lobby. Not only is the piece quite large and heavy but the upper section of the piece had to be suspended from a ceiling which is 42 feet high. My task was to devise a method by which the piece could be raised into position and then attached to the ceiling using the connection points which had been designed into the ceiling structure.

Using an electric lift with a boom arm and a personnel bucket I was able to get up to the attachment point, connect a specially made cable sling, and attach a series of chain hoists which could be use to lift the piece. I was joined in the bucket by the artist, Mr. Richard Hunt who, at about age 76, could pull those chains just as well as I could! We had to use cable “come- alongs” to pull the piece up the last few inches to its full height.

After the piece was in place, we then made the final connections with the stainless steel attachment hardware which Mr. Hunt had fabricated. The lower sections of the piece were installed later with the use of a forklift and nylon slings. They are bolted into the walls and had to be welded together and finished out in place.

Trust me, there is never a dull moment in the life of an Exhibits Preparator!

John Hare Chief Exhibits Preparator