Rare glimpse of behind the scenes work at the museum

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - At the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the public has a chance to see something they rarely get to set eyes on.

What’s happening behind the velvet rope isn't performance art or a Duane Hansen sculpture come to life.

Rose Daly is cleaning and conserving the museum's familiar Louise Nevelson work "End of Day Nightscape IV"… in public.

"Usually people are surprised, 'cause it's not something you see very often," she said.

The piece is made of lots of little wooden things glued into printer's boxes and spray painted black.

"She was really pushing the envelope by using found objects," Daly said.

With so many nooks and crannies, even regular dustings couldn't get to everything.

"Its daunting," Daly admitted.

It’s not just a good dusting that’s needed, though. Spraypaint is not a typical artist’s medium, and it was applied without a primer, so it’s peeling in spots. Conserving it is a challenge Daly relished.

But the size of the piece made it a challenge to get off the wall, so they left it there and made it's conservation a kind of public outreach.
Fortunately the Nelson had someone that was perfect for the job.

"I'm really interested in contemporary materials and I really enjoy talking to the public about conservation," Daly said.

And a good thing, too. Twice a day she gets to come down from her perch and tell people about her work.

The piece is a favorite of many patrons, a familiar sight in the museum for many years.

Daly considers it an honor to preserve this work . She says it's allowed her to get inside the head of the artist somewhat.

"It's taught me a lot about how she worked. Definitely more than just, you know, looking at it," she said.

Apparently the ecstasy outweighs the agony.

"I think the more you learn about it, the more you get connected and invested in it," Daly said.

The work should continue until February 25th.

Daly can be seen at work on Thursdays and Fridays and will answer questions from the public at 11AM and 1 PM on those days.

Additionally, the weekend of February 19th and 20th, the area becomes a "Family Fun Spot" from 1 to 4 pm, when Daly will give special talks for families.

There are hands on materials similar to those Nevelson used available for the public to experiment with each day, because, as Daly says; “Since I’m touching the sculpture, everyone else probably wants to”.