Gently does it, Crawford!

All seems to be going to plan behind the closed doors of the Crawford Art Gallery as management prepares for the next crucial step in the gallery’s ambitious renovation.

The walls may be temporarily bare following the painstaking removal of the gallery’s 3,500 artworks, but now that the first stage is complete, news of the contractor chosen to take the estimated €30 million project forward could arrive any day now.

Following the granting of approval by the Cabinet last month to proceed with the appointment of a contractor, the Office of Public Works (OPW) will now issue a letter of intent to finalise all procurement elements.

The decant of Crawford Art Gallery began on 21 August last year with the removal of Michael Warren’s ‘Obelisk of Bronze’, a five metre tall sculpture which stood in front of the gallery. The Crawford then closed its doors to the public on 23 September with a plan to reopen again in 2027.

The next to go were the Canova Casts, a historic moment for the Crawford as this was the first time the casts had left the gallery since they were presented to Cork in 1818. Many of these sculptures are estimated to weigh in excess of two tonnes with smaller pieces weighing in between 75kg-500kg.

After the removal of the sculptures, focus turned to the gallery’s framed pieces. Removing the iconic ‘Men of the South’ by Seán Keating was an especially tricky undertaking and required meticulous planning.

One of the most challenging tasks of the entire decant operation was the removal of the colourful ‘Lonradh’ window which has been catching the light of Cork city above the gallery’s grand staircase for over 30 years. The window is made of individual glass panels made from 2.4 millimetre laminated glass. Scaffolding was carefully erected along the staircase providing secure access for the removal of the stained glass panels. The task proved so difficult that the artist who created the window, James Scanlon, was brought in to assist in its deinstallation.

Works positioned high on the gallery walls proved another huge challenge for the team. Following meticulous planning and consultation with specialist technicians, heavy equipment including forklifts, scissor lifts, and scaffolding were employed to ensure their secure removal. Some of the works had been in place for over 100 years and technicians were surprised to discover pine leaves tucked behind them – an early form of pest control commonly used in 19th century museums.

During its closure, the gallery has maintained its relationships with other museums and galleries across Ireland, with a number of works from its collection currently on display in the National Museum of Ireland and the National Gallery of Ireland.