Conservation of Watts Towers: A Case Study

ABSTRACT

Watts Towers is a National Historic Landmark located in South Central Los Angeles and is widely considered one of the finest examples of outsider art in the United States. It is an assemblage of interconnected sculptures fabricated from reinforced masonry including three tall towers, two of which measure over 30.5 m in height. In this case study, the authors discuss recent efforts by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to conserve the towers with an emphasis on how various environmental factors impact the structures and inform the selection of materials and techniques used in their repair. The impact of past conservation campaigns and the loss of original material is also discussed in terms of how best to interpret and document the alterations the towers have undergone over the years.

KEYWORDS:

• Watts Towers
• repair mortars
• steel corrosion
• welding

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the following individuals for their contribution to the conservation of Watts Towers: Jeffrey Herr, Rosie Lee Hooks, Daniel Tarica, Blanka Kielb, Cynthia Eastright, Emma Guerard, Bianca Martinez, Jennifer Porter, Marie Laibinis, Kiernan Graves, Traci Lucero, Sylvia Dorsch, Christina Fisher, Naomi Ruiz, Austin Anderson, Mariana Ruiz, and Coleen Boye.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Materials

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Additional information

Funding

Funding for the conservation of Watts Towers was provided by the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs (C-130546), with contributions from the following foundations: Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Friends of Heritage Preservation, Bank of America Art Conservation Project, James Irvine Foundation, and Ahmanson Foundation.