One of the most popular pieces at the American Art Museum is partially off-view at the moment as it undergoes cleaning and treatment by our conservators. The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly by James Hampton consists of numerous separate components and is a huge challenge for museum staff to conserve. Hampton worked on this piece for fourteen years, constructing it from discarded materials and found objects that he scavenged from second-hand shops, the streets, or the federal office buildings in which he worked. He used aluminum and gold foil to transform used light bulbs, cardboard cylinders, pieces of old furniture, electrical cables, and jelly glasses into a glittering shrine. Hampton created the Throne to evoke spiritual awe and splendor, including the phrase "FEAR NOT" at the top to emphasize his faith in God. In 1976, art critic Robert Hughes wrote that Hampton's Throne "may well be the finest work of visionary religious art produced by an American."  

 

Back in 2005, conservators spent more than 300 hours (!) cleaning all of the individual pieces before the artwork was installed in the galleries. The installation was a mammoth project, too, taking eight people three days to complete (you can watch a time lapse of the installation on our blog). This time, conservators have been working in the galleries to clean the foil-covered items once again before they go back on view in the fall.   

 

-- Georgina
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