Polly Willman was having technical difficulties in sending her response and asked that I forward it on to the group – so, from Polly:
I don't have any "direct" experience with this manner of display, but here are some related thoughts/observations:
1. Way back in the 1970's-90's, the Brooklyn Museum had a costume theater in which about fifty costumes were dressed on Jerry Roe/fiberglass mannequins and placed on platform discs that were on a moving track. The dressed mannequins traveled around the track, passing by a window in the theater where the audience sat. The rotation of the platform disc was minimal, only turning as it followed the curve of the track. The only maintenance I know of in all the years these costumes were on display was vacuuming off the surface dust. The theater has been dismantled and you might want to contact Catherine in the Collections division to ask if they observed any resulting damage from this manner of display.
2. When we traveled the First Ladies exhibit for the SI's 150th, I made it a point to send the gowns dressed. I used ethafoam forms that (a) were full length, column-like from hips to the base;(b) were "one-piece" -- no separating parts; and (c) were impaled on two rods, not one, to abate any twisting/rotation in transit. The dressed form became one with the base and thus could be handled much like a statue. I avoided use of any commercial mannequin as (a) they come apart and (b) are made of hard materials. So, if these ethafoam mannequins had fallen, any damage would NOT have been a result of the mannequin/separating mannequin parts, but of whatever it fell against. Your choice of mannequin will have a great deal of effect on what the risks are.
3. You might also want to touch base with Paul HImmelstein
-- I believe he was involved in the design of a case with a rotating base for the display of the Marilyn Monroe "Happy Birthday" dress for a private client. That has been about ten years ago, so there should be some "history" to report there.
4. In addition to the rpm's, I owuld want to know about the start up and slow-down rates of the rotation to determine how much "jerking" may take place when the display is started and stopped.
5. In general I think there should be a way to pull this off, especially for the limited time proposed. But first, I would want to understand better what the designer is trying to achieve -- e.g., seeing all sides of the costume? seeing the costume in motion? If the former, remember that costumes are usually symmetrical left to right and rarely does the back have anything of interest anymore, so a front or three-quarters view gives you most of the information you need about the costume. If there is something to note in the back, why not just use a mirror? If the designer wants to show the costume in motion, then (a) why not a video? or (b) just how 'realistic" is this motion of a costume on rotating stand compared to a person wearing the costume?
If I have anymore thoughts, I will pass them on. Take care and good luck.
(Joy Gardiner)
From: Textile
Conservators [mailto:TEXCONS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lundberg, Holly
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008
9:08 AM
To: TEXCONS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Display of costume
idea
Hi Ann
Thanks so much for your response. I’m glad to hear the rotating stage idea has been used with little to no negative impact on the costumes. And, I will certainly bring up the idea of visitor-initiated turntables. Another list member, Judy Schwender, replied off-list with the wise thought of ensuring the rotating stages have an automatic cut off in case of overheating or catching on fire.
Holly Lundberg
From: Textile Conservators
[mailto:TEXCONS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Frisina, Ann
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 11:28
AM
To: TEXCONS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Display of costume
idea
I dressed two mannequins, Prince's purple rain costume, and Lori Line's enormous pink bow costume, to rotate on separate discs for five years within the MHS Museum. The discs would rotate and the lights would rise when a visitor pushed the button. Both mannequins were in cases minimizing build up of dust etc. This visitor initiated display cut down on the cumulated lux hours. It also served to expose the costumes to UV/VIS evenly all around. The mannequins were secured to the rotating turntables and, while I do not know the rpm turned very slowly, nothing moved. Both these costumes were in stable condition with no visible changes noted at the time of post exhibit survey. I think our lux hours were averaging at 38 hours per month at 50 lux. It was one of the more successful answers to exhibiting fragile textiles for extended periods of time. I believe we will be using this method again.
Ann Frisina
Textile Conservator
Minnesota Historical Society
345 Kellogg Blvd. W.
St. Paul, MN. 55102
651 259-3385
http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/index.html
From: Textile
Conservators [mailto:TEXCONS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lundberg, Holly
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 10:41
AM
To: TEXCONS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Display of costume idea
Our exhibitions department has come up with an idea to display two mannequin mounted costumes on rotating turntables for an upcoming costume exhibition. At this time, I haven’t received a lot of information from the designer other than the turntables she has investigated can rotate 1.5 to 2 rpm, and that she would like to mount them on top of the exhibit platform rather than flush. I don’t even know which costumes she would like to exhibit on the turntables so I can’t speak to condition yet. I will meet with her later in the week. Before that time, I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts on this “novel” exhibit idea as it’s one I have never come across. I am especially interested in hearing about potential problems/issues involved with such an idea (e.g. vibration, etc). The exhibit is to run 8 months.
Holly Lundberg
Conservator
(312) 799-2069 direct, (312) 799-2369 fax
lundberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chicago History Museum
1601 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614-6038
www.chicagohistory.org
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