Informe Anual, 2005 - Museo de Arte de Ponce

fulfilling numerous requests for restorations
on a considerable amount of works, which
raised a respectable amount of funds for
the Museum’s general operations. Among
the important restoration projects were
20 works by Marcos Irizarry belonging to
the UPR, Mayagüez Campus, collections;
two oil paintings by Amelia Peláez of the
Bacardi Corporation; one 19th Century
English School marine landscape and its
frame belonging to Trigo Corporation; and
an oil painting by Cristóbal Ruiz from the
Ferré Rangel collections.
Two interns from the Escuela de Artes
Plásticas de San Juan, Pamela Calderón
and Mario Ferrer, joined us for the summer.
They displayed their skill and knowledge
while working on the conservation of
works of art under the strict planning and
supervision of the conservation personnel.
In their own words, their internship and
contact with the Museum’s personnel
opened an unknown window to the
admirable yet colossal work of a museum
amidst a materialistic, technological, and
changing world.
During the replacement phase of the
seven skylights on the Museum’s second
floor, the conservation personnel was
vigilant to ensure the safety of the
collections. After reaching a consensus
among the various departments, a
strategy of temporarily moving and
storing works of art was implemented for
the galleries on the second floor, which
resulted in a successful and uneventful
transfer.
Regarding the transportation and safety
of the works that are requested on an
international level, we collaborated with the
custody and safety of Retrato de Martín
Zapater by Francisco de Goya y Lucientes,
which we escorted to the Museo Nacional
de Arte in Mexico City. We also escorted
the painting El secuestro de Jesús by Monsú
Desiderio from the Coeur d’Or Museum in
Metz, France. These trips to other museums
represent an enriching experience for the
Museum’s personnel since it allows for a
collaboration with colleagues from various
cultures and for close experimentation with
their work environments.
These achievements would not have been
possible without the commitment and
hard work of the personnel from our
Conservation Laboratory, comprised of
Ángel D. Santiago-Torres “Archie”, Assistant
Director and Conservator of Sculptures
and Tridimensional Objects; John Vargas,
Assistant in both departments and
cabinetmaker; Patricia Aguirre, Professional
Services, Department of Paintings; and Isabel
Martínez, Professional Services, Department
of Sculptures and Tridimensional Objects.
We are especially grateful to the students
Pamela Calderón and Mario Ferrer for their
time, assistance, and dedication during the
month of July 2005.
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