Alternative Facts
While I was frantically working on the mural, overseeing the processing of the St. Paul Masonic Library with a crew of volunteers, and organizing for the upcoming restoration, the CEO summoned me into his office for a meeting with the general director. During the meeting, the CEO asked a question that he had repeatedly asked, “Why can’t we just hang the drops unrestored?”
Once again, I again explained that we could not hang unrestored scenery for a multitude of reasons; the primary one being that dusting pigments and other surface contaminants presented a health hazard – especially for the old and young. The theatre was connected to an eldercare facility with people who had compromised immune systems. Plus one of the target client’s were to be dance studios for children’s recitals.
“But you cleaned them in Fort Scott,” the CEO insisted, “Why clean them again?”
I took a deep breath. “No,” I said quietly, “I only completed some onsite cleaning for handling and shipping as they were so filthy.”
“Well, why didn’t you do a better job onsite so you only had to do it once?”
“The limited time factor, “ I replied, “It was never part of the original plan as I hoped to lower, roll, and ship the scenery.” He looked perplexed.
“Regardless,” I said,” during the shipping of any historical scenery, the pigment – meaning color – and other surface contaminants would continue to dust off of the fabric. It would remain encapsulated in the scenery roll, becoming airborne when hung on site. Additionally, the “binder” – meaning the stuff that holds the color on the surface of the fabric – is also failing, causing the color to dust off. The painted surface needs to be stabilized prior to hanging any drops in the MMHC theatre.”
We had gone over and over this issue for months since our initial road trip to Fort Scott during August 2015 when he insisted the drops could just be hung upon their arrival. With each attempt to insist that I just hang the scenery, the general director backed him up. I felt like being in an elementary playground again where the bully made a decree and the sidekick added, “Yeah, what he said!”
At this point in our conversation, the CEO took a new tactic and explained that he had contacted a company in the Duluth that explained all pigments, even dusting ones, were inert. This REALLY caught me off guard. He had gone out of his way to “prove” that my health warnings about dusting pigment were incorrect. He had listened to me and then sought others to disprove my warning of a potential danger. Why?
I mentally regrouped and took another deep breath, slowly explaining the following:
“Even if that were the case and historic dry pigments were inert– and they are not- it is the OTHER surface contaminants that are even more dangerous than the actual pigments. Bat guano, pigeon droppings, flash powder residue, soot from coal heat or oil heat, tar dust, mortar dust, and many other environmental contaminants are quite toxic. This scenery is still covered in an oily filth and only a small portion of it was removed in Fort Scott. The remaining contaminants need to be removed prior to restoration or hanging.”
“Believe me,” I said, “I would be thrilled to pass along the scientific proof that all dusting pigments are inert – especially to the safety commission or the scenic artists at the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT). It would be an earth-shattering moment for the theatrical painting industry.”
What was the deal? Why was the CEO trying to prove that I really didn’t know what I was talking about in terms of dry pigment dangers?!?! The public’s safety was at risk. Wasn’t that enough?
To be continued…
There is a wonderful resource from Baylor’s Environmental Heath and Safety page. It goes into detail about the health hazards associated with dry pigments, especially when they become airborne. This is just one of MANY site and agencies that explain the various health hazards surrounding dusting dry pigment. Here is the link: http://www.baylor.edu/ehs/index.php?id=94372
Unlike new pigments, however, we don’t have access to the MSDS (material safety data sheet) for the original colors on the historical scenery. The colors that were used on backdrops and now become airborne during restoration or simply hanging in a theatre are unknown. Some colors used to contain cadmium, arsenic, or lead – just to name a few hidden toxins in historical pigments.
