CCI Newsletter, No. 22, November 1998

Brightening the Future of Canadian Art

by Peter Vogel and Robert Arnold, Senior Conservators, Fine Arts

In 1997, staff of the Fine Arts section (in collaboration with a private conservator) carried out conservation treatment work on a large mural, Homage to RFK. Located in the National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa, this acrylic on particle board is one of the main works of Canadian artist William Ronald. Ronald came to prominence in the mid-1950's, successfully challenging the prevalent notion that a good Canadian artist stuck to sober backwoods subjects in the manner of the Group of Seven. His bold and aggressive canvasses soon made him a leading Abstract Expressionist whose paintings were eagerly sought by North America's leading galleries and collectors. One of the founders of the Painters Eleven, a group that included Jack Bush and Harold Town, he was truly one of the great Canadian art heroes. William Ronald died on February 8, 1998, at the age of 71. His three-storey mural in the lobby of the Studio in the NAC is a vast expressionistic abstract of free wheeling design and vibrant colours; when he finished it in 1969 he stated: "If I never do another painting, I'll be happy for the rest of my life about this one."

Robert Arnold and Peter Vogel, and private conservator Wojciech Jakobiec, treating Homage to RFK [acrylic on particle board, 13.4 by 18.3 m (44 by 60 ft.), painted by William Ronald in 1969] at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, April 1997.

The mural was first treated by CCI conservators in 1977, at which time it was projected that another treatment would likely be necessary within 20 years. This second treatment was carried out from April 1 to 10, 1997. Over the years the mural had suffered from stains, finger and scuff marks, abrasion, and losses, as well as air-borne dirt and grime which dulled the true brilliance of the colours.

Surface dirt and stains were removed as much as possible using a weak solution of a high-foaming, neutral pH detergent applied to the surface of the mural with soft sponges. Dissolved dirt and residues from the cleaning solution were gently wiped from the surface of the mural using terry cloth. The surface was then rinsed with distilled water, also applied with soft sponges, and gently wiped dry with terry cloth.

Access to the surface of the mural was provided by scaffolding along the lower levels, and by a "Genie" hydraulic lifting device at the upper levels. The highest parts of the mural could be reached only by using a sponge mop on a long pole.

More vigorous cleaning, using stronger cleaning solutions, was required on the lower areas of the mural where furniture, the visiting public, and staff had come in contact with the surface. Noticeable losses to the paint layer were filled with a commercial wall-patching compound and were inpainted to match the surrounding colour using acrylic emulsion paints. In several locations, intractable stains and marks that could not be removed were retouched using the same acrylic paints.

To prevent or at least minimize further physical contact with the mural, a protective railing or a raised ledge was recommended.

The treatment was completed in time for the opening of the Oasis, a café lounge that features the newly restored mural and thirty sculpted chairs by Sarie Marais. Both artists were present at the vernissage on May 29, 1997. As John Cripton, former Director and CEO of the NAC, remarked in his opening address: "The combination of the performing, the visual, and the culinary arts creates a synergy which allows for Canadians to experience Canada's rich cultural spectrum."

During the reception that followed, William Ronald was overheard saying: "The mural looks better now than when I painted it." Certainly the treatment has made the true brilliance of his colour vision much more apparent and accessible to viewers. The management of the NAC is to be complimented for maintaining this mural for their patrons, who will now be able to enjoy and appreciate it for many years to come.