Seventy-three in a Moment
Text Entries
On 2/3/2014, during the de-installation of the artwork, one cluster of butterflies and 5 portions of some of the butterflies became detached. The 5 small pieces were from along the outer edges of the work and the cluster was made up of newly created butterflies for the 2013 conservation (location of cluster is unknown).
On 2/5/14, when the object was being secured into its custom housing crate, 6 additional partial sections of some of the butterflies detached. These portions were from along the outer edges of the work.
Both sets of detached butterflies were bagged and are now housed in the Bits and Bobs box (a box including loose bits, extra parts and removed parcels), which is in Collections Storage (S001, C001, S00).
As mentioned in the treatment proposal written by Crista Pack (Conservation Intern) in January, 2013, a bag of loose butterflies and clusters of butterflies that had become detached from the artwork at an unknown point in the past accompanied the piece when it was delivered to the Conservation Lab. In the bag were 8 clusters of butterflies and 13 individual paper butterfly pieces.
Also, as notated in the treatment report written by Crista Pack in July of 2013, some of the detached butterflies that were in the bag, were reattached to the artwork if there locations were known during conservation treatment. 2 of the 13 loose individual butterflies were not re-adhered to the work during conservation treatment and were given to MOA after completion of the restoration project.
An additional 8 clusters of butterflies were removed from the artwork during the 2013 conservation because they were placed the wrong way on the artwork when they were applied during the previous restoration campaign or at an unknown later date. These clusters were given to MOA after completion of treatment.
Both the 2 individual butterfly pieces and the 8 clusters of butterflies are together in a plastic baggie and are now housed in the Bits and Bobs box (a box including loose bits, extra parts and removed parcels), which is in Collections Storage (S001, C001, S00).
During the 2013 conservation treatment of the artwork, new butterflies were created by the artist to fill and compensate for losses of originals. Not all of the butterflies made in 2013 were adhered to the artwork during treatment. The extras were given to MOA after conservation was completed. These extra butterflies have 2013 written on the verso to distinguish them from the originals and are now housed in the Bits and Bobs box (a box including loose bits, extra parts and removed parcels), which is in Collections Storage (S001, C001, S00).