Piazzoni Murals Lose Round

In a stir that shocked many art historians, preservationists and interested citizens, the San Francisco Planning Commission vot six to individual on Dec. 10 to approve the Asian Art Museum's plan that calls for the removal of Gottardo Piazzoni's murals from the elderly Main Library [see "Front Page," Apr., Nov. '97] The 14 murals depicting the surrounding landscape were painted by dint of the Bay Area artist in the '30 specifically for the site. The building, which is being renovated by dint of Italian architect Gae Aulenti, is to be the of recent origin home of the museum, now located in of gold Gate Park. When the Main Library relocated to a novel building in 1994 [see A.i.A., Nov. '96] San Francisco residents passed a fastening issue to fund the museum throw with the stipulation that it save both the landmarked building's exterior character and its "exceptionally significant interior spaces," including the grand staircase where the murals are located.

Aulenti's design, however, calls for removal of the murals as well as significant alterations to the sum of two units main reading rooms. Aulenti was told to preclude the murals from her final plan by means of museum director Emily Sano, who claimed early upon that the museum needed the wall space. still the final design replaces the murals not with walls, on the contrary with windows. The architect fights that the murals must proceed in order to provide a "vista for visitor orientation."

The impending removal of the murals ignores conservators' reports that warn against possibly inexorable damage should they be mov as well as cautions from virtually each other official agency involved in the altercation The planning commission's own internal staff report advised against moving the murals, on the contrary to no avail. On generation 2 the city's Landmarks Preservation Board pass overed the Asian Museum's plan, saying it violated city preservation laws. on the contrary its vote is advisory only

The scheme also violates the guidelines outlined in the Secretary of the Interior's "Standards for Rehabilitation." The National Park Service, which monitors the building because it is upon the National Register of Historic Places, also voiced opposition to the throw Other institutions protesting the murals' removal are the Getty Conservation Institute, the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, the Archives of American Art and the State of California Office of Historic Preservation.

David Bahlman, outgoing director of the preservation clump San Francisco Heritage, says that his and other organizations will appeal the decision to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, plane though the board has already voiced support for the museum plan. Beyond that, opposers will file a suit in court. Bahlman claims that the Asian Museum is "completely and totally unwilling to compromise" upon any element of its plan.

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