The House Posts are traveling

By: Eva Fognell, Curator of the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art

As some visitors and museum volunteers noticed when we opened our doors for the 2010 season here at the Fenimore Art Museum, the large Tlingit House Posts that are usually in the Great Hall, flanking the entry into the Thaw Gallery, are missing! But don’t worry, they’ll be back.

Of all the objects slated to travel to the Cleveland Museum of Art with our exhibition Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection nothing made me worry more than the Northwest Coast House Posts. How are we safely going to deinstall these huge posts and get them into crates? But my fears were put to rest when the US Art art handlers expertly and safely got the Posts dismounted from the wall and onto the floor, which we cushioned with foam blocks.

After a condition check they were carefully placed into their large travel crates.

A couple of weeks later Chris Rossi and I were at the CMA as they were being installed there. So, they are now installed and grace the entrance to Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Stay tuned for Chris’ blog with a short video on the installation in Cleveland.