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2000-23846 RESO RESOLUTION NO. 2000-23846 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION AND/OR THE BASS MUSEUM TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AND, IF FUNDED, AUTHORIZING THE BUDGETING AND EXPENDING OF GRANT FUNDS, TO THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES (NEH) PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM, FOR A TOTAL OF $8,740; $5,000 OF WHICH IS THE GRANT AMOUNT REQUESTED; AUTHORIZING THE PROVISION OF A CASH MATCH BY THE CITY OF $3,740, TO FUND CONSULTANT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH A PRESERVATION SURVEY OF WORKS ON PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE BASS MUSEUM PERMANENT COLLECTION; AND APPROPRIATING SAID GRANT FUNDS, IF AWARDED. WHEREAS, the preservation of the works of art in the Bass Museum's permanent collection is a fundamental part of its mission; and WHEREAS, the National Endowment for the Humanities solicits grant applications for Preservation Assistance Grants to help institutions preserve their collections so that future generations may share the treasures of our artistic heritage; and increase the availability of resources important for humanities research, education, and public programming; and in an effort to promote long range planning and institutional commitment to sound collection care practice; and WHEREAS, the Bass Museum of Art has identified two areas of its permanent collection which are in need of conservator analysis (survey), and identified a conservation organization that is qualified to provide such analysis; and WHEREAS, the Bass Museum has determined that this survey of its collections is eligible for National Endowment for the Humanities Preservation Assistance Grant support; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City Commission herein authorize the Administration and/or the Bass Museum to submit an application, and, if funded, authorize the budgeting and expending of Grant funds, to the National Endowment for the Humanities Preservation Assistance Grant program, for a total of$8,740; $5,000 of which is the Grant amount requested; authorize the provision of a cash match by the City of $3,740, to fund consultant costs associated with a preservation survey of works on paper and photographs in the Bass Museum permanent collection; and appropriate said Grant funds, if awarded. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 12th day of April ,2000 Attest by: () APPROVED AS TO j./1ll\6' r Ct\. L&JOR1V1 & LANGUAGE -' . . , & FOR EXECUTION CIty Clerk 1Jt Mayor c_,"~..w_""^","-~~c,~tjl j;jJtt1L 1/- 6. ov C Aft Date Bass Museum of Art 2000 National Endowment for the Humanities Preservation Assistance Grant Proposal Narrative What activity (or activities) does your institution propose to undertake? The Bass Museum proposes a general preservation survey of its works on paper and photographs, complemented by individual examination of some of its more important works within these collections. This project is intended as the first phase of a four phase works on paper and photograph preservation and conservation program. The Bass Museum will contract with two conservators from the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) to visit the Bass Museum and conduct both the general and individualized preservation surveys on-site. The on- site surveys will be followed up with written reports for both the general works on paper and photograph survey, as well as specific reports for those objects examined on an individual basis. The survey will conclude with the development of a long range preservation and conservation plan. This project requires that, in addition to the conservators' fees, the Bass Museum be responsible for all travel and subsistence expenses for both conservators. The works on paper conservator will be on-site for three days, and the photograph conservator on-site for two days. An additional three days is required by each conservator to develop their written evaluations and long range plans. The total project budget is $8,740. The Bass Museum of Art requests $5,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities towards the funding of this project. The remaining $3,740 of the project expenses will be provided by the Museum. It is the goal of the Bas~; Museum to follow the general preservation survey with research and implementation of improved storage and display systems, and systematic conservation of works identified for such treatment. What is the importance of this project to your institution? For example, how does it fit into your institution's overall preservation needs or plans? The general preservation survey of works on paper and photographs is a vital component of the Museum's Lon9 Range Conservation and Collections Management Plan (Attachment), which strives towards a goal of conductin9 regular surveys of different aspects of the permanent collection at a rate of two per year (Section III). The proposed project will act as a catalyst for the Museum in achieving systematic preservation and restoration 0' collections based on priorities established in surveys (Section V). A general survey of 250 works on paper was conducted at the Bass Museum in 1990. Since that time, the number of works on paper in the collection has more than doubled. It was not possible to treat any of these works due to allocation of preservation funds to higher priority collection Old Master paintings and tapestries that needed urgent treatments and stabilization. Collection photographs, which number over 1400 pieces, have never been surveyed. The proposed survey will assess and assert the preservation needs of all works on paper and photographs in the collection. The addition of so many works on paper and photographs in a relatively short time emphasizes the necessity of this survey. What are the contents, size, and condition of the collections that are the focus of your project? Nearly 2000 works on paper and photographs are included in the proposed general preservation survey. In recent years the Bass Museum has been fortunate to receive many gifts of photographs and works on paper. A large number of these document historic Miami Beach architecture, and are of vital importance to the community, as well as to scholars, preservationists, students, and enthusiasts of the architectural styles which reestablished Miami Beach's fashionable reputation. One such gift is the Lawrence Murray Dixon architectural archives, donated by the late architect's family. This collection includes rare photographs by Samuel H. Gottscho of landmark Miami Beach hotels designed by Dixon. (Gottscho's photographic archives are now in the collection of the Library of Congress, and accessible via the internet on their American Memory Collections web site [http://memory.loc.gov]). The physical dimensions range in size from 2 1/4" x 3" to just over 24" x 36". Many of Dixon's original drawings and blueprints are also included in this archive. The preservation survey would include individual examination of many of the works which comprise the Dixon archives, which are of greet importance to the Bass Museum and are a prime reference for interior design and architectural restoration work done in South Florida. Most of the materials in the Dixon collection were exposed to high humidity or sustained water damage during a plumbing accident in the donors' home. As a result, the condition of objects within this architectural collection ranges from excellent to poor. At roughly the same time the Bass received the Dixon archives, renowned mid-century architect Morris Lapidus donated a large portion of works documenting his long career. The Lapidus gift included some very rare drawings (Lapidus destroyed most of his original work) which are in need of attention. Overall the pieces are in good condition, but many have adhesive residue on the reverse or edges. The drawings are of particular importano:! to BMA's design collection and preservation of this significant architect's work. Photographs which will be examined as part of the survey include images by Andy Sweet and Marcia Walkenstein, whose work documented the people of South Beach of the 1970s and 1980s, prior to its renaissance. Their photographs captured the lifestyle of elderly Jewish residents and eclectic beach people, now long driven out by gentrification. Sweet and Walkenstein created their photographs in Ektacolor and Cibachrome, which are very susceptible to environmental damage. The photographs are in good condition, but the Museum is concerned with preserving their original saturated colors. Other pieces to be examined include black and white photographs from Lewis Hine's early 20th century Child Labor series, and striking Berenice Abbott portraits from the 1920s-30s. The proposed preservation survey would also include works on paper that are extremely popular with Bas; Museum visitors as well as other museums, which frequently request loans of these pieces. BMA's collection of 19th century Japanese color woodblock prints receives more requests for loan than can possibly be accommodated, and Old Master prints and drawings, including works by Callot, Daumier, DOrer, and Rembrandt, have long been counted among the Museum's most popular objects. A set of 60 Japanese woodblock prints, known for their rich color, is exceptionally well preserved because the donors kept the works stored for more than 40 years. Unfortunately, the prints had been attached to the pages of a scrapbook with cellophane tape. Although the image surfaces of these prints are in excellent condition overall, the majority of the works suffer from adhesive residue stains, and some even retain the cellophane tape along the edges of the paper. Most of the Old Masters prints are in relatively good condition overall; however, some do have tears, creases, discoloration, and possible foxing. Individual examination of approximately 100-150 pieces from both areas will focus primarily on important photographs and drawings from the architectural collections, but will also include selections from the rest of the Bass Museum's works on paper and photograph collections. How are these humanities collections used by your institution to serve your community? In general, BMA's collections and exhibitions are recognized for establishing relationships between history, social context, and the visual arts. The Museum's South Beach location draws on the ethnically and culturally diverse community it serves. The range of both collections and exhibitions speaks to this diversity, in harmony with BMA's mission of "art for all audiences." The Museum continually develops collection based programs which allow its audiences to interact with the institution as active participants. Recent exhibitions have included Fashion at the Beach, Images of Women, The Architecture of Miami Beach: Three Viewpoints, and Honon? Daumier. These programs promote a sense of ownership and exchange among its visitors. A peer evaluator recently stated that BMA's efforts "...brought attention to the entire city...they have engendered local civic pride and identity." The design collection is considered a vital resource for the community, as well as among national and international scholars. Morris Lapidus, "Architect of the American Dream," is now in his late nineties, and still resides in Miami Beach in a building of his own design. The Bass Museum possesses the most complete archival record of this remarkable architect's career. Lapidus was an integral part of the development of Modernist architecture on Miami Beach. During the 1950s he redefined the notion of resort architecture (complete with decorative arts) with his dramatic and glamorous Fontainebleau, Eden Roc and Americana Hotels. L. Murray Dixon, a crucial figure in the development of the Tropical Art Deco style on Miami Beach, designed 42 of the Historic Art Deco District's famous hotels (including interior decorative arts), such as the Raleigh, the Ritz Plaza, the Victor, the Tides, the Marlin, the Tiffany, and the Betsy Ross. In addition, he designed two signature Miami Beach hotels, the Atlantis and the Senator, which were destroyed before the Historic District was established. BMA's Dixon archive, which fully documents all of the architect's buildings, is continuously utilize::! by the community to prevent any such architectural tragedies from occurring again. The Museum is presently contracted with Rizzoli International to publish much of the material from the Dixon archive in a book, The Making of Miami Beach, 1933-1942: The Architecture of Lawrence Murray Dixon. This book, due to be publishe::! in Fall 2000, is funded by grants from the NEA, Henry Luce Foundation, State of Florida Division of Historical Resources, and Graham Foundation, and is eagerly awaited by enthusiasts of early 20th century architecture as well as the local citizenry. A similar book is planned for the Morris Lapidus collection. These collections have been turned to by property owners renovating or restoring Dixon or Lapidus designed buildings to their original form, by students developing models and computerized images of long-destroyed landmarks, and by preservationists. Architectural researchers are consistently referred to BMA and its holdings by universities and libraries. South Florida's diverse community takes pride in its rich architectural history, whiC1 attracts visitors from around the world, and is celebrated annually during Art Deco Weekend. The Bass Museum has always been an active participant in this event, staging exhibitions, workshops, and tours to complemert the weekend's activities. In addition to work by Lapidus and Dixon, architects represented in the design collection include Michael Graves, Arata Isozaki, Robert Venturi, Nikko Heikkinen, Henry Hohauser, Antoine Predock, Steven HolI, and Douglas Darden. These images and their documentation are accessible to everyone. Presently, an appointment is required to view the objects when they are not on exhibit; however, all of these materials will be available for viewing via the internet in a searchable database of digital images by Spring 2002. Andy Sweet and Marcia Walkenstein, whose color photographs are included in the context of this proposal, document a Miami Beach lifestyle which no longer exists. Their photographs are frequently borrowed and reproduced as bittersweet documentation of the rapidly changing socio-economic population of Miami Beach. Sweet's photographs studied the large, predominately Jewish population of senior citizens that used to live alon~l the now young and trendy Ocean Drive in the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach during the 1970s. Walkenstein's photographs focused on Miami Beach's eclectic and eccentric residents who moved to the area during the 1980s when the Mariel boat lift brought many Cuban refugees and artists to then inexpensive South Beach. Both photographic series have remained popular with South Florida residents and visitors, are often requested as loans by other museums, and are important visual documentation of the area's social, economic and cultural history. The Old Master works included BMA's holdings of prints and drawings comprise an excellent and well-used collection for study by university scholars and students. The Bass Museum is the only repository in the area for this type of art. These works are utilized on a regular basis, and are frequently researched and published. These works may be viewed by appointment when not on display, and will also be included as digital images in the internet searchable database being developed by BMA. The Bass Museum feels it must take an active role in teaching through its collections, and achieves this through its internship program. College interns within the Registrarial and Curatorial offices are assigned specific collections related projects during their tenure at the Bass. These projects have consistently been primarily based in the works on paper and photography collections. When these interns leave BMA, they have an in-depth working experience in museum collections that has been supervised directly by the Curator and/or Registrar. Several past interns have expressed their pleasure at having completed an internship that allowed them to do "real work" rather than week after week of photocopying or stuffing envelopes. It is the Museum's intention to include interns in its four phase preservation and conservation program for the works on paper and photography collections. What is the project's timetable? Six months has been allowed for the full completion of this project, including scheduling of conservators, site visits, conservators' development of reports and long-range plans, Museum staff analysis of recommendation~;, and completion of grant reporting requirements. The project will commence October 1, 2000, and conclude March 31, 2001. Contract with NEDCC; schedule on-site visit NEDCC site visits; NEDCC general survey and individual object reports written Bass Museum staff review of conservators' recommendations; completion of grant reporting requirements 2000 Oct ~i~~:::i::::i::i::ii:ii:iiii::i:i::::::::::::::::::::l:::::::i:iiiiiiiii:ii:ii:i:::::l:~ Nov Dec ::I:::::I::::::::ililiiiiii:i:::::i:i:::::i:I:I:I:::I:1:::iilililiiiiilii:lil:I::::::::: ::::i::iiii:::::::::ilililiiiiiiiliiiiiiii:ii::::l:::::1::::i:iliiiiiliiiiiiilililii::::i:iiiiiiiliii:i:::::::::::::::i:i:iiiliiilii:i:l:l:1::il:l:liiii:i::i:iii:il:iii:i::::: 2001 Jan Feb :::i:i:i:i::ii:::::::::i:::::::iii:::ii:iiii:iiii:i::i:::i::::ii::::ii:::::::i:i:::i::: Mar ij:j:i:i:i:i:i:i~i:i:i~11~~ii~:j:j:j:i:iii:~:I1:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:ji~:~iii What is the name and VI/hat are the qualifications of the consultant who will be involved in thl~ project? Both conservators with whom the Bass Museum intends to contract are associates of the Northeast Document Conservation Center (resumes attached). Mary Todd Glaser, Director of Paper Conservation and a works 011 paper specialist, will be conducting the general survey, as well as the individual examination of works on paper. Monique Fischer, Photograph Conservator/Associate Conservator, will be responsible for the individual examination of some of the Museum's more important photographs. Both conservators are well published in their fields. Mary Todd Glaser has been with NEDCC since 1979, and has been Director of Paper Conservation since 1988, Prior to her association with NEDCC, Ms. Glaser was employed by the Brooklyn Museum, Pierpont Morgan Library, and as a private conservator whose clients included the Whitney Museum of American Art, Mystic Seaport, Newark Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. She is also a fellow of the International Institute for Conservation and of the American Institute for Conservation, and has been active in both associations in various capacities. Monique Fischer, Photograph Conservator/Associate Conservator, began her career with NEDCC as a Getty Fellow in Photograph Conservation in 1994. Prior to joining NEDCC, she held internships at the Image Permanence Institute at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House in Rochester, NY, as well as at Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Documents Graphiques in Paris. Ms. Fischer also holds a Technical Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for her development of A-D Strips, a diagnostic tool that detects deterioration in acetate-based film. CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139 http:\\cLmiami-beach.f1.us COMMISSION MEMORANDUM NO. ~S 1:PO FROM: Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and Members of the City Commission Lawrence A. Levy ~ City Manager DATE: April 12, 2000 TO: SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR APPROVAL FOR THE BASS MUSEUM TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION AND, IF FUNDED, AUTHORIZING THE BUDGETING AND EXPENDITURE OF GRANT FUNDS, TO THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES (NEH) PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM REQUESTING $5,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE PROVISION OF A CASH MATCH OF $3,740 FOR A SURVEY OF ITS PHOTOGRAPHS AND WORKS ON PAPER IN ITS PERMANENT COLLECTION. ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION Approve the submission of the grant application and authorize the provision of a cash match of $3,740. FUNDING Funds would be available from the City's Bass Museum 2000-2001 general fund budget, if approved. ANAL YSIS The Bass Museum proposes a general preservation survey of its works on paper and photographs, complemented by individual examination of some of its more important works within these collections. This project is intended as the first phase of a four phase works on paper and photograph preservation and conservation program. The Bass Museum will contract with two conservators from the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) to visit the Bass Museum and conduct both the general and individualized preservation surveys on-site. The on-site surveys will be followed up with written reports for both the general works on paper and photograph survey, as well as specific reports for those objects examined on an individual basis. The survey will conclude with the development of a long range preservation and conservation plan. This project requires that, in addition to the conservators' fees, the Bass Museum be responsible for all travel and subsistence expenses for both conservators. The works on paper conservator will be on-site for three days, and the photograph conservator on-site for two days. An additional three days is required by each conservator to develop written evaluations and long range plans. The total T. IAGENDA \20001APR I 200ICONSENTIBASSGRNT. NDC AGENDA ITEM~ DATE ~2-0D FUNDING APPROVED April 12, 2000 Commission Memorandum Bass Museum Grant Page 2 project budget for phase one is $8,740. The Bass Museum of Art requests $5,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The remaining $3,740 of the project expenses is contained in the Bass Museum 2000-2001 budget request. It is the goal of the Bass Museum to follow the general preservation survey with research and implementation of improved storage and display systems, and systematic conservation of works identified for such treatment. The general preservation survey of works on paper and photographs is a vital component of the Museum's Long Range Conservation and Collections Management Plan, which strives towards a goal of conducting regular surveys of different aspects of the permanent collection at a rate oftwo per year (Section III). The proposed project will act as a catalyst for the Museum in achieving systematic preservation and restoration of collections based on priorities established in surveys (Section V). Nearly 2000 works on paper and photographs are included in the proposed general preservation survey. In recent years the Bass Museum has been fortunate to receive many gifts of photographs and works on paper. A large number of these document historic Miami Beach architecture, and are of vital importance to the community, as well as to scholars, preservationists, students, and enthusiasts of South Florida's architectural heritage. One such gift is the Lawrence Murray Dixon architectural archives, donated by the late architect's family. This collection includes rare photographs by Samuel H. Gottscho of landmark Miami Beach hotels designed by Dixon. In addition to the Dixon archives, the Bass Museum possesses a sizeable collection of works by renowned mid-century architect Morris Lapidus, which document his long career, and includes some very rare drawings (Lapidus destroyed most of his original work) which are in need of attention. The drawings are of particular importance to BMA' s design collection and preservation of this significant architect's work. A general survey of 250 works on paper was conducted at the Bass Museum in 1990. Since that time, the number of works on paper in the collection has more than doubled. It was not possible to treat any of these works due to allocation of preservation funds to higher priority collection Old Master paintings and tapestries that needed urgent treatments and stabilization. Collection photographs, which number over 1400 pieces, have never been surveyed. The proposed survey will assess and assert the preservation needs of all works on paper and photographs in the collection. The addition of so many works on paper and photographs in a relatively short time emphasizes the necessity of this survey. Six months have been allowed for the full completion of this project, including scheduling of conservators, site visits, conservators' development of reports and long-range plans, Museum staff analysis of recommendations, and completion of grant reporting requirements. The project will commence October 1,2000, and conclude March 31, 2001. It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission adopt this resolution approving the submission of the grant application and authorize the provision of a cash match of $3,740. ~ LAL:MI1flDC:dc Attachment