Since plans for the move of the Cyclorama from Grant Park to the Atlanta History Center were announced in late July, Gordon Jones has responded to countless questions about the anticipated restoration of the massive 1886 painting, especially the planned re-creation of parts removed in 1921.
The pressing need for conservation, then estimated at $8 million, led Mayor Kasim Reed to impanel an advisory group in 2011 to suggest ways to secure the future of the 365-foot panoramic painting that depicts the Battle of Atlanta. Jones, the History Center’s senior military historian, said current projections raise the restoration cost to $11 million.
Challenges include straightening wrinkles in the 5-ton painting, which has been hung like a curtain for decades, with gravity taking its toll, instead of in the tension-mounted hyperbolic (or hourglass) form that was intended to give viewers the illusion of looking at it in 3-D. Moisture issues have to be addressed. And a backing that was applied during a major restoration completed in 1979 may have to be replaced, a delicate operation.
Still it’s the replacement of the missing pieces, trimmed when “The Battle of Atlanta” painting was moved into its current Grant Park quarters, about which most people are curious.
That includes one panel, estimated at 6 feet wide by 50 feet high, that depicts part of the battle. Also, 8 feet of sky will be added back to the top of the painting, running all the way around its circumference.
“They don’t exist anymore. We’d love to find them rolled in somebody’s attic,” History Center President and CEO Sheffield Hale said, while acknowledging that’s unlikely.
The city, which will retain ownership of the treasured artifact, may not have the missing pieces, but the History Center has a good reference to guide it. It has a souvenir book, including crisp black-and-white photographs, published in 1886 when the painting was first shown in Minneapolis. While the booklet’s photos do not provide a 360-degree view, there is an image of the excised battleground section. It fits beside a section depicting destroyed railroad tracks that has been on view for nearly a century.
The section that was removed was at the main seam that was repeatedly cut as the painting was moved from Minneapolis to Indianapolis to Chattanooga and, finally, Atlanta
“If you had to (trim) the painting, this was the place to do it,” Jones said, noting that the main seam ran right above a former tunnel entrance that used to take Grant Park visitors up onto a central viewing platform (that was replaced with rotating bleachers during the 1979 restoration).
“It is possible that this section was ‘eroded’ away, same as the sky, when the seam was cut and re-cut” for its various moves, Jones added.
Jones said the return of the sky will make a bigger impact on viewers because it covers a much larger expanse and will re-establish the intended horizon line for viewers essential to creating the 3-D illusion.
The historian asserted that it’s a mistake to put too much emphasis on the missing pieces, pointing out that the Atlanta Cyclorama is more intact than the one depicting the Battle of Gettysburg was before it underwent a detailed restoration and returned to public view in 2008 at the Gettysburg National Military Park.
“The very fact that so little is missing from this painting makes it unique,” Jones said. “Nearly all others had much more excised from them over the years. ‘The Battle of Atlanta’ is one of the most intact (cycloramas) in the world because it stayed in one place for so long.
“Good for us.”
The conservation team that will undertake the work is still to be selected.
FILM
Out on Film announces opening feature
Out on Film has announced its opening night feature, “Blackbird,” starring Mo’Nique and Isaiah Washington, showing Oct. 2 at Landmark’s Midtown Art. The 27th annual fest will run through Oct. 9.
Julian Walker portrays 17-year-old Randy, a choir boy living in a conservative Mississippi town, struggling to understand his sexuality while also caring for his mother following his sister’s disappearance.
Information: www.outonfilm.org.
THEATER
Another Atlanta troupe to tackle ‘Les Miz’
Aurora Theatre wowed audiences and critics with its ambitious staging of the epic musical “Les Miserables” last August. Made possible when producers released the property to regional theaters for the first time, the production was the big winner at the annual Suzi Bass Awards (Atlanta’s version of the Tonys) in December. Inevitably, the Lawrenceville troupe will remount it Jan. 15-March 1, 2015.
But before Aurora can work its magic again — scaling down the 1980s megamusical into something more intimate and embraceable — another Atlanta company will take a stab at the show based on Victor Hugo’s 19th-century tale of redemption and French revolution.
The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta Arts & Culture will open “Les Miz” Aug. 7 for a run through Aug. 17 at the MJCCA’s Morris & Rae Frank Theatre. MJCCA’s Director of Arts & Culture Brian Kimmel is the producer, Levi Kaplan the director.
Recommended for ages 14 and up. Tickets: $15-$29. 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. 678-812-4002, www.atlantajcc.org/boxoffice.
Aurora "Les Miz" tickets also are on sale: $30-$50 (discount matinees Feb. 4 and 25: $20). 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. 678-226-6222, auroratheatre.com.
EVENT
Curator named for Flux Night 2015
Flux Projects announced early this year that it would not stage a Flux Night this year, to give the Atlanta nonprofit time to better plan the popular public art event held in Castleberry Hill for 2015.
In an important step in that direction, it has announced that Nato Thompson — chief curator for Creative Time, which has produced temporary public art in the U.S. and internationally for more than four decades — will serve as curator for the next edition of the event that drew 20,000 last year.
“We decided to pause Flux Night for a year in order to spend time growing the event,” Flux Projects Executive Director Anne Dennington explained in a statement. “We want to increase the scale of the projects and find more ways for them to connect with our audience. Nato is the ideal person to help us accomplish this. He brings not only the right experience but also energy and enthusiasm.”
Flux Night is scheduled for Oct. 3, 2015. Information: www.fluxprojects.org.
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