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| Rocks coming to the Museum |
This Sunday we had our first group of visitors to see the "behind-the scenes" construction zone that is currently the museum. While I know it's more traditional to not show people a new exhibit, especially something as major as we're building, before it is complete, I think it is important for the community to be a part of the entire process. Here in the Imperial Valley people have been waiting and supporting this museum for years and are excited that we are finally graduating to a permanent exhibit. "Becoming a real museum" as so many visitors call it. My philosophy on what a "real museum" is can wait for another blog though. Today is about what goes on behind-the-scenes of rocking an exhibit.
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| Travertine Point's waterline, in progress |
One of the features of our new museum that everyone was blown away by were the large rocks we have throughout the building. Built into each section of the museum you now find giant fake rocks that look exactly like rocks you would find hiking in the Valley. When the installation is finished there will be pull-out panels describing a hike in the area where you would see these rocks "in the wild" as well as explanations for different features, like Travertine Point's water line.
How are these rocks designed and built so that you can't tell a real rock from a fake? According to the designers at Weldon Exhibits it all starts with photographs and rock samples. A scale model is built in the workshop in order to work out design issues, location issues, etc. A full sized model is built next onto mocked up walls simulating their final location. The foam models are then carved and shaped with hot wires, saws and knives until the features are perfect. Layers of plaster coat the model, soaking into the foam and creating a shell that will keep the rocks from being damaged. Different coats create a rocky texture and seal the structure. Everything is then dismantled, boxed, shipped, and reassembled in its new home. Layers of paint are applied referencing more photographs to endure that the end result looks like the original. For most of the rocks here that means layers of weathering, orange desert varnish and patina, quartz veins, and different textures for granite, basalt, tufa, etc. One large rock piece can weigh several hundred pounds, take a week to build in the workshop, then up to two days of a team painting them during installation before they are declared ready to go.
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| Rocks foamed and ready for paint |
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| Layers of paint and days of work go into the details of rock painting |
While on site some changes may be made. They installation team was inspired to add a few real rocks to one section of the design, although it will take a close examination for anyone to pick out the real rocks from the manmade ones. The end result is something durable enough to handle hordes of field trips, but realistic enough to be instantly recognizable as certain areas to hikers. While many visitors may see these as merely frames to the exhibit, others will see them as a seamlessly integrated aspect of the exhibit- another way of reminding us all that the desert and the people who live here are deeply entwined. And perhaps that science, history, and art are just as connected.
In progress veined rock, and rocks with 'patina' applied
