October, 2014
Vol 8, No 4
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ICA- Art Conservation
2915 Detroit Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
p: 216-658-8700
f: 216-658-8709
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News From the ICA
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As part of ICA's continuing commitment to our community we often act as collaborators in efforts to strengthen communities through the preservation of our shared artistic and cultural heritage. One such project involves the preservation and conservation of a ninety year-old icon screen (iconostasis) at the historic Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church in Tremont. This fall, ICA conservators worked onsite at Holy Ghost Church to treat the hand-carved, wooden and gilt, Hungarian icon screen that stands 30 feet high and 29 feet wide at the front of the church's sanctuary.
Holy Ghost Church was closed as a parish church in 2009, but after a creative visioning process was reopened as the Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center, a spiritual community center in the heart of Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood. The site plan for the mission of the Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center at Holy Ghost Church-- "Bringing Faith to Life in Tremont"-- includes a café, gallery space, men's discernment community house, and the Shrine of the Martyrs inside Holy Ghost Church, where the iconostasis is located. Extensive repairs to the church's ailing roof and heating system will be completed in the coming months, after which groundbreaking for the new additions to the building and exterior courtyard may take place in the spring of 2015.
 As this region's nonprofit conservation center for both artistic and historic works, ICA was delighted to work with the Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center to plan and execute the conservation of their beautiful iconostasis. Treatment of the screen began in early September and included a section of the carved, painted and gilded wooden structure as well as four of the forty-eight icons painted in oil on canvas. ICA staff conservators and technicians were on site for five days to install scaffolding and work on a 131" high and 71" wide section of the iconostasis. Loose paint and gilding on the carved elements of the iconostasis were consolidated and heavy deposits of dust were removed. Losses to the gilding were toned in with bronze and gold paint.
 Three icons, The Descent of the Holy Ghost, The Conversion of St. Paul, and The Dormition of the Virgin, were removed from the screen and treated on site, while one additional painting, Pentecost, has been taken to ICA's lab facility to remove a darkened varnish. A stable, reversible varnish will be applied and the icon will be reinstalled in the iconostasis. With Phase I of the treatment project now complete, the Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center is currently working to raise funds for conservation of the remainder of the iconostasis and the church's altar.
For more information about the Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center, or to donate to this worthwhile project, please contact Father Richard J. Plishka, at 216-357-2933, or via email to director@byzcathculturalcenter.org. The Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center and Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church are located at 2420 West 14th Street in Cleveland, Ohio.
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Upcoming Public Program
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When: November 19, 7:30 - 8:30 PM
Cost: FREE!
ICA invites you to a public discussion of the exciting changes taking place in its North Coast neighborhood, due in no small part to the growth of the arts scene on the near West Side. Over a decade ago, ICA moved into the historic Vitrolite building at 2915 Detroit Avenue, and has been an anchor in this emerging artistic community ever since. Now, as our neighborhood has achieved new relevance as a cultural destination, ICA is convening a panel of institutional leaders to discuss what the future holds for this area. Join us as we look at the past, present and future of Cleveland's near West Side.
No reservations are needed for this free program.
For more information contact ICA's Education Outreach Officer, Jennifer Souers Chevraux, by phone: (216) 658-8700 or email: jennifersc@ica-artconservation.org.
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Education & Outreach: art@work
|  October 16th ICA Education Outreach Officer, Jennifer Souers Chevraux, traveled to Archwood Early Learning Center and presented a special history program to students in four Head Start classes. A collection of old items were shared with the children, raising questions about each object's function, and what we may learn about life in the past by examining the group of items. At the end of the hands-on experience, the three, four and five year-old children were invited to answer the essential question: "Why Are Old Things Special?"
 Young children develop a sense of self through their collected experiences, and an understanding of history provides important context for contemporary experiences. Through programming like this, children begin to see that old things, as collected bits of history, are keys to understanding lifeways that have changed or disappeared. Kids begin to identify ways in which their own lives are different (and perhaps easier) from those of children in the past. Students use critical thinking skills to draw connections between life in the past and present, and begin to locate themselves in place and time through reinforcement of the concepts of "before" and "after."
If you have a class that could benefit from this program, please contact Jennifer at the ICA to discuss scheduling options.
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Art Transport & Handling
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ICA - Art Conservation offers comprehensive object and exhibition travel logistics. ICA can handle any type of object from miniatures to monumental sculpture.
Available services include:
- Object assessment and conservation recommendations
- Condition reporting
- Deinstallation and reinstallation
- Packing and crating
- Rigging
- Transportation
- Courier service
ICA is able to arrange fine art ground transportation solutions throughout the United States. Within our network of providers, ICA can arrange the safe transport of your art work or exhibition. We can assist with fine art shuttle and exclusive use transport services. All vehicles are:
- Dual driver / constant surveillance
- Climate control
- Air-ride suspension
- Lift-gate equipped
- GPS tracking
Equipment available includes straight trucks, tractor trailers, and high cubes, ICA can arrange for specialized flatbed equipment including Conestoga, drop deck, and roll-back flatbeds as well.
Please contact ICA's Art Transport Manager/Preparator, Charles Eiben, for additional information, or to arrange transportation services.
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Annual Campaign
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With the end of 2014 rapidly approaching, we again look to our patrons and friends to help sustain the important conservation, preservation, and educational programming that is essential to ICA's mission. We are grateful for the generous support we receive from the community, and ask you to make a tax-deductible donation to ICA enabling us to continue the preservation of this region's artistic treasures for future generations.
We thank you for your consideration and appreciate your recognition of ICA's role in safeguarding our community's link to our shared cultural heritage. If you work for a company that matches employee charitable contributions, please ask for a matching donation to ICA - Art Conservation.
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In Other News
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Cover image by ICA photographer,
John T. Seyfried.
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ICA was recently featured on the cover of the CAN Journal, and on the front page of Lorain's Chronicle Telegram.
To keep up with all the latest news about ICA projects and programs, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, see what we're pinning to our Pinterest boards, and visit the "What's New" page of our website. |
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