Before and After Conservation

Today's Ventura County Star featured an article on the Public Art and Conservation Internship Program. The article is located here.

Since the start of the program in June 2007, interns have conserved 18 sculptures along the Ventura River Trail, carrying out extensive work on Jud Fine's series of sculptures entitled, "Mark."


A typical marker before conservation.

The same marker after conservation.

The series of sculptures is significant to Ventura's cultural and industrial history. For each piece, USC professor Jud Fine, located old oil machinery parts along the Ventura River Trail. He solidified each into a concrete based upon which he inscribed a different definition of the word "mark." The machinery parts would have otherwise dissolved into the landscape. Fine's piece is significant in using these ordinary objects to tell a story about the industrial history of the area.

Fine's milemarkers are located along a over 6 mile stretch of the trail and are used by cyclists to mark miles and kilometer points along the route.