Saving the Watts Towers by Simon Rodia in Los Angeles

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• published: 13 Nov 2014
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In spite of being one of the most unique works of art, the Watts Towers of Simon Rodia are on The Cultural Landscape Foundation's Landslide list of threatened and at-risk landscapes and landscape features. Built by the Italian immigrant Simon Rodia between 1921 to 1955, the Watts Towers site in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles features three main towers and seven other sculptures that he constructed using salvaged steel, wire mesh, cement and a range of found and donated objects such as broken glass, seashells, generic pottery and tile, and many pieces of twentieth century American ceramics. In this video we meet up with Dr. Frank Preusser, Senior Conservation Scientist at the Conservation Center of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), who provides us with an introduction to Simon Rodia's Watts Towers: the man behind the monument, the construction of the towers and their artistic value. Specifically he talks about the restoration and conservation efforts: the analysis, the challenges, the solutions. Finally he tells us why the Watts Towers should be preserved, what it takes to save them, and how you can help. The Watts Towers of Simon Rodia in Los Angeles. Interview with Dr. Frank Preusser, Senior Conservation Scientist, Conservation Center, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); Los Angeles, November 5, 2014. More videos on contemporary art, design, architecture: http://vernissage.tv Connect: http://www.facebook.com/vernissagetv http://twitter.com/vernissagetv Browse our Archive: http://vernissage.tv/archive/posts/ Find Artists, Designers, Architects: http://vernissage.tv/archive/artists/ Art TV pioneer Vernissage TV provides you with an authentic insight into the world of contemporary fine arts, design and architecture. With its two main series "No Comment" and "Interviews", art tv channel VernissageTV attends opening receptions of exhibitions worldwide, interviews artists, designers, architects. VTV provides art lovers with news, reports and features from the international art scene. VernissageTV: the window to the art world. Das Fenster zur Kunstwelt. La fenêtre sur le monde de l'art. A janela para o mundo da arte. La ventana al mundo del arte. نافذة على عالم الفن. 到艺术世界的窗口。Окно в мир искусства. Since 2005.