I've published many photos of Jeddah's amazing sculptures and lamented about their deteriorating condition due to the harsh elements here in Jeddah. Previously I reported that the Jeddah Restoration Project was underway and now it is nearing its completion. It has been an extensive undertaking which was done in phases. The project has been mainly funded by charitable donations under the leadership of the Abdul Lateef Jameel Community Initiatives organization. The above video provides an update on the progress of the Restoration Project and shows some of Jeddah's unique sculptures.
I also wrote THIS ARTICLE about Jeddah's sculptures for Selamta Magazine, Ethiopian Airlines in flight magazine in the September-October 2012 issue.
Arab News article: Restoration of Jeddah's public art to transform city into open-air museum
Jeddah may have unique problems but most cities with modern sculpture will see deterioration over time. I am glad that some effort is being made to repair and restore them. Modern sculpture is more problematic than traditional European sculpture. Modern sculpture often uses industrial paints whose pigments aren't long lasting. Modern sculptors often don't plan for permanence. Many actually are looking forward to the natural degradation over time. The large size of the sculptures make them even more prone to damage.
ReplyDeleteIn any event its a great project.