Oak Street Entrance statue, Mr. Ishi, is moved for construction.

By the end of Phase I construction, the Oakland Museum of California will gain a new front entry at Oak Street, complete with an ADA access ramp and a stainless steel canopy. Even though construction is several months away, staff members have already begun laying the groundwork for the changes.

In late November, Art Department staff hired Atthowe Fine Arts Services to remove the 1969 cast bronze sculpture, Mr. Ishi, by Peter Voulkos. Over the course of several hours, art preparators carefully removed the concrete blocks securing the statue to the terrace. Working together, staff from Atthowe and the Museum lifted the statue by crane and secured it to a flatbed truck. Every point of contact was carefully wrapped with moving blankets to protect the surface of the metal, then strapped in tightly.

During construction, Mr. Ishi will be stored in the newly completed California Collections and Research Center.

---