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If the mural is broken into sections, has the artist’s conception really been preserved?

By Rebecca Rushfield posted 03-07-2021 16:20

  
According to an article by James S. Russell in the February 24, 2021 issue of The New York Times ( “A Mural at Risk is Remade”), when Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union moves its headquarters from 310 West 43rd Street in Manhattan and into a building a few blocks away, the large mosaic mural designed by Anton Refregier which graced the façade of its old building will not be coming along. The mosaic is part of the cement block wall and the only way it can be moved is if the entire wall is removed intact and brought to the new building. Because David Adjaye, the architect of the new space felt the mural belonged in the new offices, Stephen Miotto, the owner of Miotto Mosaic Art Studios which had created the original mural was asked to recreate the mural for the new space.

So far this seems like an acceptable way of conserving the mural. However, because the space in which it is be installed is not long enough to accommodate the entire mural, one portion will be mounted separately. If the mural is broken into sections, has the artist’s conception really been preserved?  
#ConservationintheNews

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