How One Los Angeles Institution Is Responding to the Fires
The Weisman Art Foundation’s actions highlight how climate change reshapes the protection of cultural heritage worldwide
The Weisman Art Foundation’s actions highlight how climate change reshapes the protection of cultural heritage worldwide
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The Los Angeles wildfires which began on 7 January were the most destructive in the city’s history. Over 16,000 structures were damaged or destroyed, and tens of thousands of people were displaced. The fires also put the city’s cultural heritage in danger, serving as a shocking reminder of the impact of climate change on the art world and the challenges cultural institutions face in preserving their collections. The implications, which are only just beginning to be seriously discussed, will take years to unfold.
Many arts organisations in the city have a protocol for responding to natural disasters, but few will have expected to be so severely – and in some cases, fatally – in danger. The flames made it within a few metres of the Getty Villa, the former home of J Paul Getty, now a museum and educational facility, and also came close to the Villa Aurora, a legendary meeting place for anti-Nazi German exiles during the 1930s and ’40s. The Zorthian Ranch, a community art centre and residency in Altadena, was also in the fire’s path, but could be saved. Others weren’t so lucky. The late art critic Gary Indiana’s personal collection of rare art books and editions was destroyed and the artist Paul McCarthy lost his house, studio and artwork in the fires. Many other artists, many not wealthy or well-known, have been dealt a similar hand and now must pick up the pieces.
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Many museums and galleries across the city were forced to close throughout last month, given the intensity of the fires. Staff at the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation began on 17 January the arduous process of securing their 19th and 20th-century modern art collection and moving it off-site. As the fires raged, the possibility of evacuating left their staff on high alert. ‘It’s such a responsibility,’ said director Billie Milam Weisman. ‘In a moment, you could lose the whole thing, and it’s so important for our culture to maintain all these artists’ pieces.’
This natural disaster further underscores what this new reality means for the art world
The foundation is in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles, classified by the California Fire Marshall as a ‘Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone’. ‘We had it coming from all directions, which was very stressful. In all the years [I’ve been here], I don’t think the fires ever threatened the museum,’ Milam Weisman continued.
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The foundation was established by Milam Weisman and her former husband, the entrepreneur, philanthropist and art collector Frederick R. Weisman. Weisman wanted to make art more accessible to the public, challenging received notions about how it should be seen and experienced. Displaying the collection in their former home, the Weismans hoped to evoke a sense of art as something that can be lived with. The collection consists of over 400 works by modern artists including Paul Cézanne, Helen Frankenthaler, Wassily Kandinsky, Isamu Noguchi, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, and is shown across two landmarked buildings, an annex pavilion and a large garden.
Since taking over at the foundation, Milam Weisman has only experienced one other natural disaster that changed the safety protocol. In 1994, after an earthquake caused many works to fall off the walls, she had to rethink the presentation of the art to keep it safe; the foundation eventually installing safety hooks for all the works. These, of course, are no use in case of fire.
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Inspired by the fire prevention measures of other residences and art organizations, the foundation installed a sprinkler system on the roof. Nothing is guaranteed though, especially with fires of the intensity of those seen this January. ‘You can never predict what’s going to happen, where it’s going, or how you’re going to respond. You do the best you can. We started packing up immediately, while the fire was still in the Palisades,’ Milan Weisman explained. ‘There have been fires before, but not to this intensity.’
By the end of January, the wildfires had burned nearly 60,000 acres of land and claimed 28 lives, at one time placing up to 200,000 people under evacuation orders. Estimates for the total cost of damage of the fires range between $250 and $275 billion.
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The fires have also resulted in an outpouring of support to help those affected in the arts community. The Getty Centre and other arts organizations, including the Mohn Art Collective – which consists of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Hammer Museum and The Museum of Contemporary Art — launched the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund. Other galleries have also followed suit, launching similar initiatives. As the Los Angeles arts community charts a path forward, the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation’s response to this natural disaster further underscores what this new reality means for the art world. The foundation is currently closed to the public until further notice as they continue their efforts to preserve their collection and Weisman’s legacy for future generations.
Applications are now open for the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund, an emergency relief fund for artists and arts workers impacted by the devastating Los Angeles Fires. Visit cciarts.org to check eligibility and apply for the emergency grant through February 18, 2025 at 5pm PST.
Los Angeles, January 2025. Courtesy: Getty Images