THE WAY CONSERVATION PROJECT

With its bright red limbs, dynamically stacked and balanced at a massive scale, The Way cannot be missed when visiting the Park. This impressive towering construction was the first large-scale sculpture purchased for Laumeier’s art collection. In 1980, Alexander Liberman assembled, completed, and unveiled the sculpture on the very spot where it still stands (at a weight of 55 tons, it’s not easy to move!). Over the following decades, it has become Laumeier’s signature sculpture, a favorite of Park goers, and an icon for the entire region. Its image has been reproduced in countless places—from the cover of the telephone book to the region’s official tourist brochures—in recognition of the wondrous experience visitors have when they encounter it.

Over forty years of constant exposure to weather extremes, animal and bird residue, and rough visitor interaction (AHEM!) does take a physical toll. The Way has had minor treatments and was re-painted in 1996 and 2011, but today, the combination of faded and patchy paint, chipped concrete, and corroded metal indicates that it is time for its most thorough conservation ever.

In response, Laumeier has launched a major, multi-phased restoration to restore The Way to peak condition. The team overseeing the conservation initiative consists of Laumeier curatorial staff, the preferred conservator of the Alexander Liberman estate, and members of the Getty Conservation Institute of Los Angeles. Various local contractors will perform the work. 

PHASE 1 - ASSESSMENT (2020-23) / COMPLETE

Over the last few years, the sculpture has been examined by engineers and professional art conservators. A laser scanner was used to create 3D images of the entire sculpture and its base, providing internal and external evaluations of structural and material condition. A small opening was cut into the sculpture to allow a camera’s view into the interior. 

PHASE 2 - CONSERVATION / BEGAN OCTOBER 2023

Phase two will be a carefully choreographed execution of the needed repairs, including:

• Removing large areas of metal that are weak or compromised, replacing them with newly fabricated sections, and seamlessly integrating the new components into the rest of the sculpture.

• Inspecting and replacing connection points, anchors, and base plates as needed.

• Infilling cracks and chips in the sculpture’s concrete slab foundation.

• Blasting away areas of the existing paint; priming, painting, and top coating the entire surface.

• Refreshing the landscaping surrounding the sculpture as needed after the work is complete.

In October, one of our metal contractors cut and removed approximately a 54’ section of tube #1 (the diagonal piece that extends back toward the tree line) and two large deteriorating sections of tube #4 (the center tube). A separate metal fabrication company then took measurements to fabricate the new section and patches. The fabrication process took approximately six weeks. During that time, our painting team mobilized a crew to abrasive blast and remove any loose coatings of paint and identify any other areas that need repairs.

During the week of Dec. 4, the new 54’ rolled steel tube was delivered and hoisted in place for welding. The metal crew was on site for just over a week, completing installation which included sizing and welding connections between the new and existing sections.

On Dec. 15, the paint crew returned to prime the new section of tube #1 and the new patches on tube #4. This application will prep and protect these surfaces for painting.

The final phase of the conservation – applying the primer and final coats of paint – will be completed this spring as weather permits.

Check back on this page in the spring for more updates on the restoration!

Thanks to our generous donors to The Way conservation effort

Restoration of The Way was made possible in part by the Louetta A. Buechler Trust; Gateway Foundation; The Gertrude and William A. Bernoudy Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; the Mark Twain Laumeier Endowment Fund; Henry Moore Foundation; Ruth and Alvin Siteman, Mary Kay and Kim Love, Anthony Bardol, Jan and Ronald Greenberg, Charles and Andrea Miller, Susan and Henry Warshaw, and many other generous individuals. In-kind support was provided by Carboline and Kirkwood Fence.

As well as support from: