Alisa Sikelianos-Carter, Return 2 Earth

Available for “Adoption” through the Adopt an Artwork Program

This artwork was purchased from the artist in 2021 prior to her solo exhibition in the Mandeville Gallery. Due to its size, it has hung in Schaffer Library’s Lally Reading Room since that time. Sikelianos-Carter is a queer, mixed-media artist from upstate New York. Her recent solo exhibitions include the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, California; Kavi Gupta Gallery, Chicago; and Fridman Gallery, Beacon, NY.

Due to the enormous size and fragile nature of this work, the conservation treatment required two phases. The first consisted of creating large, archival folders in which to sandwich the two separate pieces that comprise this work so that they could be transported to the conservation center without being rolled. This process required five conservators and art handlers to remove and guide the pieces into the folders from where they had been installed. Once the work was safely at the center, loose collage elements were secured and damages to the delicate, vulnerable edges of the large sheets were mended. A complex system using Japanese paper and Velcro was devised to help the work adhere to the mount inside the frame. A custom aluminum frame was then prepared to hold the piece. The framing at times required six people to lift and maneuver the piece, and the final framed artwork weighs between 300 and 400 pounds. The total treatment cost is just under $18,000, which includes the cost of the frame and all materials.