Central Park Conservancy Internship
Summary
As a Monuments Conservation Intern with the Central Park Conservancy, I worked alongside senior conservators to assess, document, and treat outdoor sculptures and architectural features across the park. I gained hands-on experience with a wide range of materials, from bronze and iron to limestone and marble, carrying out treatments such as laser cleaning on the USS Maine Monument, corrosion stabilization on historic cannons, protective coatings, mortar repointing, and surface cleaning. I also assisted with molding, recasting, and retouching architectural details, while completing safety trainings and certifications to operate equipment for large-scale projects.
My favorite aspect of this project was the strong sense of collaboration built into the continuum of care for this publicly accessible collection. Our cohort of six carried out every stage of each treatment as a cohesive team, sharing the demanding physical work of chiseling out damaged mortar joints or cleaning with a powerful hot-water pressure washer. We ensured that each member had meaningful learning opportunities while exchanging our individual skills and knowledge with one another. Beyond working together as a team in the present, we were also contributing to the legacy of past interns, collaborating across time with emerging conservators who had begun projects that we were able to continue and build upon.
Please check out the summary document I designed by clicking the botton to the left.
USS Maine National Monument
The U.S.S. Maine National Monument restoration project required the application of GC Lasers 100i laser cleaning system to remove stubborn biological encrustations that have grown on the surface. Laser cleaning allowed controlled and effective surface cleaning without the dangers of harming the material introduced by harsh solvents and/or excessive water pressure. Additional treatment aspects include raking and repointing mortar joins, the filling of visually obstructive areas of loss, and steam cleaning of the granite base.
Highlights of the internship
Caring for an Outdoor Collection
A major aspect of the CPC internship each year is the routine maintenance of the monuments. This involves assessing damage from the environment as well as chemical corrosion from reactions with atmospheric gases. Many of the park monuments are made up of two main parts- a stone base and a cast metal sculpture. These materials require different treatments and exhibit distinct deterioration patterns, with varied vulnerabilities to common cleaning materials.
Park Prioritization Tracking Project
My individual project for the summer was the creation of a comprehensive Excel document designed to aid in the identification of conservation priorities by tracking the amount of time between annual maintenance as well as major conservation treatments on each monument. The document includes a calculation system for a “vulnerability score” and a ranking list which displays the highest priorities at the top of the list.
This is an ongoing project, and more information will be released after approval from CPC.