The prospect
of receiving the barong ket mask presented a series of challenges
for the
Collections Section of the Spurlock Museum.
Because the barong ket is such a dramatic and exciting artifact,
staff members planned immediate installation into
the Gallery of Asian Cultures. The Collections Section,
with help from U of I’s Operations and Maintenance group,
moved the artifact across town to our workroom in the museum where
the
artifact was cleaned and then cataloged by our Registration Section.
While the Barong Ket was being cleaned, a mount was designed for the item to
go onto exhibit. The O&M Ironworkers shop built the base mount made
of aluminum beams. The Collections Section outfitted this aluminum base mount
with the proper padding and support. Once the artifact was properly fitted
to its mount, it was rigged 30 feet in the air to its current position on
display over the balcony in the Gallery of Asian Cultures.
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