Art Murals over Existing Construction

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Author Message Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1749 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2017 - 09:09 pm:    Have a project in South Florida consisting of several existing one story CMU/Concrete and Stucco(CBS)buildings that are to be canvasses for art murals. How should these canvasses be prepared? The buildings are being repurposed for retail, restaurant use. The existing stucco is in good shape, the building Owner does not want to remove the existing stucco unless advantageous to the art work. William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 954 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2017 - 09:37 pm:    Some time ago I had a similar situation. You can't really do anything unless you know for certain what the artist's system will be. And then, you may not be able to do anything because the artist may want to inspect list requirements for repair of the substrate, and some artists will want to do the substrate prep themselves. I did a lot of investigative work into what was common, what was being done at the time. In the end, it would have all been guesswork. Our recommendation was to tell the Owner to simply protect in place the current condition, untouched until the artist (at that time not yet selected) could be selected and that they verify what they wanted the substrate to be. The Owner did not like that, as there was going to be about 6 months after the project was occupied that the artist would be selected, and some months after that before the artist actual began work. So, he asked the contractor to suggest something, which they suggested a stucco application. We cautioned that though common, it might end up not being what was desired. But they insisted that we include something in the project. We did exactly what the GC had proposed. It could have worked just fine for what was actually finally chosen, but the selected artist had their own preferences. This required the removal of the 'new' stucco and the artist then provided the formula and system for his version of stucco. All that was done, then the GC who was required to do the removal as well as the install of the artist's required system, charged, very fairly, an extra for the cost of removal and reapplication. The Owner wanted to state that since we wrote a spec for it, we should have known better and we should cover the costs. It was pointed out our various recommendations NOT to do anything except preserve the existing surface. Ultimately they just paid, but, that was the last we saw of them as well. So, you can find an appropriate substrate very easily. But if you don't have the actual artist in hand and ready to inspect and request what he needs, you are just rolling the die - which I suggest you document along with reservations you may have. William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate Michael Chusid, RA FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: michael_chusid Post Number: 276 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Sunday, May 14, 2017 - 12:13 am:    Perhaps the artist can put his own substrate over the existing wall. Michael Chusid, RA FCSI CCS www.chusid.com www.buildingproduct.guru 818-219-4937 Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1750 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Sunday, May 14, 2017 - 12:26 am:    Michael ,I doubt that will happen: http://www.thewynwoodwalls.com/walls John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1715 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, May 15, 2017 - 11:57 am:    Many murals are done with "house paint" and therefore could be done over any substrate that can be painted. Much could depend on how the artist is selected, and how they are being paid for the work. If another grant-making organization is to be involved in raising the funds for the art, then the artist would know how much they would get to complete the work and could determine if they want to change the substrate. If the owner is paying, they can advise artists what the budget is, and that surface prep if needed, needs to come out of the budget. (If the owner does not intend to pay the artist, offering instead only "exposure," then the owner is being exploitative. An artist has to pay rent, too.) I cannot foresee any problems if the existing stucco remains, and the process for selecting the artist includes awareness of the conditions of accepting the commission.