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Commission approves up to $3,700 for conservation of 'Universal Woman' bronze
Summary
The commission approved funding up to $3,700 for a specialized two-step hot-then-cold wax treatment and cleaning of 'Universal Woman' by Nathan Olivera; staff said Preservation Arts treated the work in 2023 and will schedule a follow-up treatment this spring.
The Public Art Commission approved funding of up to $3,700 to perform a specialized conservation treatment on Universal Woman, a bronze sculpture in the Palo Alto Art Center courtyard.
Registrar Nadia (S3) presented a treatment proposal from Preservation Arts describing a multi-step process: thorough surface cleaning to remove organic debris and guano, targeted corrosion reduction near the sculpture base, followed by a high-performance outdoor wax application (hot wax then cold wax). Nadia told the commission the treatment generally takes one to two days depending on weather and that Preservation Arts previously treated the sculpture in 2023.
Nadia explained the conservators will document condition before and after treatment, and that the city uses an Embark database to track maintenance schedules and conservation history for the collection (staff said the collection includes just over 300 pieces with about 100 installed outdoors). Staff recommended keeping preventative maintenance on a two-to-three-year cycle depending on exposure.
A commissioner moved to approve funding up to $3,700 for the treatment; the motion was seconded and the commission approved the expenditure by recorded vote.
Next steps: staff will schedule the treatment with Preservation Arts and log the work in the collection database; the commission directed staff to continue using condition surveys and baseline assessments to prioritize maintenance work.
