Corcoran Closes Exhibit Early Due to Malfunctioning HVAC

The Washington Post is reporting the Corcoran will close its Turner to Cezanne exhibit early due to malfunctioning HVAC systems. The exhibition had been scheduled to close on April 25th. The three galleries of the Corcoran with a half billion dollars worth of art was closed on Wed after issues were discovered in new climate control equipment. No damage has been caused, and the closure is just a precautionary measure. According to reports temperatures were not being controlled correctly with fluctuations between heating and cooling.

Living in the DC, the past few days have been rather warm in DC for April, so perhaps the systems have not been totaled changed over to handle the higher temperatures of the past few days.

The Washington Post reports

Changes in temperature and humidity beyond an acceptable range can have profound effects on works of art. Canvas can expand and contract at a different rate than the paint on the canvas, which can lead to cracking and other damage.

Abruptly closing a well-received show before the end of its scheduled run is almost unheard of. Curators and conservators began de-installing the art Wednesday, Guiter said.

In recent years, the Corcoran has experienced some bumps along the road toward reestablishing itself as an arts destination for residents and out-of-town visitors. It has struggled with fundraising, not unlike many of the region's arts groups during the recession, and the "Turner to Cézanne" show was viewed as a true coup. It was scheduled during a relatively slow time for visitors, ending just after the spring break rush. "It was doing well," Guiter said. "We were definitely disappointed to close it."

The work by the Corcoran's general contractor, the Christman Co., and subcontractor Siemens AG before the exhibition's opening in January was part of an overall roof and skylight restoration, which the company listed as a $16 million project. Attempts to reach representatives of the GSA were unsuccessful, and members of the Corcoran board did not respond to requests for a reaction.

To read the full Washington Post article, click HERE.