A delicate, rare mural of shimmering water, glimmering shells, swirling fish and friendly turtles decorates the grotto at Vizcaya, one of Miami’s most picturesque historic sites. But it’s in a sea of trouble. Above it, a layer of corroding metal.
Below it, a swimming pool. Surrounding it, weather so humid it clings to your skin. And the artist made it out of water-soluble materials.
The result? A 107-year-old artwork hanging on for dear life. “The mural is dying. The mural is actively deteriorating,” said Davina Kuh Jakobi, the lead conservator at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Coconut Grove waterfront landmark estate.
“Somehow it’s still living, but it’s actively disappearing.” But not all hope is lost. Vizcaya received $750,000 from the National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures grant program to conserve the ceiling mural and restore it — as much as possible — to its former glory.
National Park Services announced last week it was awarding $25.7 million in grants to fund 59 projects, including the Vizcaya swimming pool, grotto and mural. “The Save America’s Treasures program began 25 years ago and continues to enable communities across the United States to preserve and conserve their nationally significant historic properties and collections,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams in a statement.
“It’s fitting to celebrate this milestone anniversary through a wide range of projects that help to pass the full history of Americ.