Ellsworth Kelly's 'Austin' at Blanton Museum of Art to close for mold cleaning
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Artist Ellsworth Kelly's "Austin" at the Blanton Museum of Art will close next month for cleaning after mold grew on the outside of the building, the museum announced on Monday.
The iconic piece, which is a separate building from the Blanton, will be closed Sept. 7 through Nov. 1. Dates are subject to change, the museum said on Instagram.
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"'Austin' is in need of a little me time," the Instagram post says.
Black streaks of mold on the limestone exterior developed due to rain and moisture, the museum said. An architectural conservator worked with the Blanton to figure out how to safely remove the mold. A water-resistant coating will be applied to the exterior once it's clean, the museum said.
"This is a common occurrence on limestone buildings on the UT campus (the limestone on 'Austin' came from a quarry in Alicante, Spain)," the museum's website says.
The mold was first noticed in spring 2020. The museum waited to clean the mold so it could coincide with the already planned construction for its revitalization effort, which started in March 2021, said Katie Bruton, the museum's public relations and media manager. The mold has not been tested, but Bruton said it is not dangerous.
"Austin" opened in February 2018.
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Ellsworth Kelly's 'Austin' at Blanton to close temporarily due to mold
