SGS Prepares Condition Reports for Proposed Exhibition Loan by New York’s Renee and Chaim Gross Foundation

SGS Art Services has announced it is working with the Renee and Chaim Gross Foundation on the proposed upcoming exhibition – Circa 1945: Abstract Art in the Renee & Chaim Gross Foundation Collection. Chaim Gross (1904-1991) was a modern American sculptor, creating statues in marble, wood and bronze, and is considered a leading light in the mid-20th century New York downtown scene.

Incorporated as a charitable foundation in 1988, the Renee and Chaim Gross Foundation is housed in the Greenwich Village townhouse purchased by Renee and Chaim Gross in 1961. The property doubled as both family residence and artist’s studio. The first-floor now contains a studio, left very much as Gross had it, and a gallery holding many of the artist’s sculptures. The second-floor is devoted to a temporary exhibition space and the third-floor is preserved as the family residence.

The Foundation’s collection contains over 12,000 objects, including:

• Gross’ own works
• His collection of ethnographic artifacts, including African, Oceanic, and Pre-Columbian works
• Gross’ personal collection of American and European artworks – either gifted or brought from artists he knew and/or admired

Today, the townhouse site is primarily focused on Gross, his family and work, but still maintains an active role in the cultivation and promotion of New York’s downtown artists. It participates in exhibitions and other cultural programming, and offers educational opportunities for both museum studies and art history students. The townhouse site, at 526 LaGuardia Place, is a unique resource for New York City and a monument to the city’s artistic legacy.

SGS has been working with the Foundation on the examination of artworks for the upcoming proposed exhibition. As part of this process, Senior Conservation Specialist, Lauren Fly, has been preparing condition reports on selected artworks requested for loan. The Foundation does not maintain a full-time conservation team and has decided to utilize the state-of-the-art techniques employed by SGS to evaluate current levels of preservation and consult on the exhibition process. Reports have already been prepared on several significant works from the collection, including paintings by artists such as Arshile Gorky and John Graham, as well as on sculptures by Gross.

Primarily, the condition reports are being used by the Foundation to assess the current state of conservation of each piece of art. The reports document extant damage and active areas of concern, serving as a guideline for seeking conservation treatments to stabilize and prepare artworks for loan.

The condition reports are also used by the Foundation’s newly appointed Executive Director, Sasha Davis, to prioritize artworks for treatment and request proposals from conservators. In addition, the information is used to negotiate loan agreements, revise the exhibition list to mitigate the risk of displaying fragile objects, and prepare an exhibition budget. The reports establish a baseline for the condition of the works, and can be updated with condition report checks following treatment (should any be necessary) and during exhibition. Should damage occur during packing, shipping, and installation, the reports will be used to determine at what point the work was damaged and assign responsibility for incidents of condition change. SGS provides a unique level of detail and photodocumentation in its condition reports, allowing the Foundation to use the reports in support of grant-writing and fundraising initiatives.

SGS’s condition reports have already highlighted several specific concerns, mostly relating to framing, hanging, lighting and display. The Foundation has already acted upon these concerns. The work has also highlighted inaccuracies in the Foundation’s now outdated condition survey, conducted nearly a decade ago. SGS is able to assist with all matters relating to comprehensive collection surveys and is pleased to be helping the Foundation in developing its future plans.

SGS Art Services
SGS’s arts and culture services help clients to analyze and date works of art, and to gain in-depth knowledge of their materials, techniques and condition. The company acquires the data needed by experts for their authentication of artworks or to uncover unknown masterpieces; to provide an inventory of art collections; and to document and verify the condition of artworks before and after any logistical operation. To learn more about SGS Art Services: [www.sgs.com/en/arts-and-culture]

For further information contact:

Stephanie Meyer-Pionchon
Global Marketing Manager, Art Services
Email: crs.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/art
LinkedIn: www.sgs.com/linkedinart

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 90,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,000 offices and laboratories around the world.

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This release was published on openPR.