Untitled, a painted steel and concrete sculpture by Mary Miss and architect Adèle Santos is centrally located at the Center for Arts at Albright College in Reading, PA.  The sculpture is a two-story circular canopy consisting of an off-center metal basket suspended from the top by steel I-beams and 1-½ inch diameter steel rods.  Eight concrete/steel columns are the anchoring points for the outer annulus.  At the ground level, there is a steel sculpture that is comprised of offset metal plates and curving metal benches.  The sculpture was erected between 1988 and 1991.  Extensive localized paint failure and steel corrosion prompted the need for conservation treatment.

Kreilick Conservation, LLC was retained by Albright College to conserve the sculpture, addressing corrosion of ground-level elements and extensive paint failure.  Active corrosion was mitigated through mechanical methods and replacement of compromised elements.  Archival documentation indicated a paint scheme consisting of four colors.  These colors were replicated in polyurethane paints from Tnemec.

central sculptural element after treatment

central sculptural element after treatment

central element before treatment

central element before treatment

untitled after treatment

untitled after treatment

typical condition of benches before treatment

typical condition of benches before treatment

benches after treatment

benches after treatment

treatment of steel columns and canopy in progress

treatment of steel columns and canopy in progress

treatment of concrete columns in progress

treatment of concrete columns in progress