Caring for Outdoor Sculptures
Trust and Estates Journal, Spring 2020
by Rosa Lowinger
Outdoor sculptures are often thought to be the most durable of collectible artworks.
Typically made of materials like metal, stone, and concrete, they are indeed generally more resilient than paintings on canvas or works on paper. Yet their placement outdoors shifts the balance in their care, making them vulnerable to damage from sun, wind, rain, fertilizers, sprinkler water, and salty coastal air.
Just like one would not have one’s pool cleaner wash and wax a vintage Ferrari, so too should artworks, whose value and aesthetic are based upon their surface finishes, be cared for by experts.