April 15, 2008
Salvaged Architectural Art in Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Museum's Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden features an array of salvaged sculpture that managed to triumph over the wrecking ball. The preserved work on view points back through time to sculpture's architectural prominence before the advent of Modernism, when it was as bountiful on building facades as in museums.
Beyond the significance of individual works, the collection as a whole demonstrates the Museum's agile response to the destruction of architectural treasures even before the historic preservation movement reached its stride in the late 1960s. As public appreciation of architectural ornament and sculpture has grown, the Museum's collection has served not only as an archive of historic objects, but also as a welcoming outdoor installation beloved by visitors.The caption on the second photo informs us that the incredible 1910 sculpture from the former Penn Station was donated to the museum from Lipsett Demolition Co. and Youngstown Cartage, showing that even garbage haulers recognized the importance of great art as the city's moguls trashed New York's treasures.
The for-profit business Irreplaceable Artifacts used to salvage similar architectural treasures out of its Houston St. location. Ironically, we watched that building knocked down with all of its artifacts inside, after it was deemed structurally unsound and half-collapsed.
Plenty more pictures and historical context at Forgotten-NY.com. Thanks to wallyg for tagging his Brooklyn Museum pictures "gothamist".
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waittaminute!
Steinberg Family = Irreplacible Artifacts???
lets not gloss over the facts!!!
"Ironically, we watched that building knocked down with all of its artifacts inside, after it was deemed structurally unsound and half-collapsed."
they willfully demolished a load bearing wall to create a outdoor cafe thing, causing the bldg to partially collapse which also caused the residents of the bldg next door to be evacuated/evcited by the city
another example to greed taking precedence to safety and good practice.
im sure Dave Hogarty didnt mention that to get some comments going...thanks i took the bait!
[Lamont bought 2 coffins at an auction and is trying to convince Fred of their worth]
Lamont Sanford: C'mon pop, we're gonna make a killin' on these.
Fred Sanford: Well then why don't you make two killin's and get them outta here.
On it
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/sculpturegarden/stoned.html
[1] I thought I was pretty explicit in differentiating between the Brooklyn Museum and the for profit business Irreplaceable Artifacts. And the mention of that business wasn't to excuse the culpability of its owner from the disaster that occurred there. I mentioned the irony because it was a storehouse of salvaged architectural treasures, which fell prey to the shortsightedness of their own ostensible savior.
[Kevin] I don't even have to check with you b/c I know you're on this stuff like frosting on cupcakes. I can only hope to be a pale imitator.
Nobody's paler than your webmaster. I need SPF 400 at the beach.
www.forgotten-ny.com
There's a lot to be seen both in the fenced off area and the garden:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/franklynch/sets/72057594059536344/
Someone commented on one of my shots that for some of these pieces, chipped on their faces, that storing them face up exposes the stone to more moisture and elements and may lead to an earlier demise. I have no idea how accurate that it.
1] I thought I was pretty explicit in differentiating between the Brooklyn Museum and the for profit business Irreplaceable Artifacts. And the mention of that business wasn't to excuse the culpability of its owner from the disaster that occurred there. I mentioned the irony because it was a storehouse of salvaged architectural treasures, which fell prey to the shortsightedness of their own ostensible savior.
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thats some damm good erudishun 'nd artikulashun