Restoration of the mosaic

Monument of military and labor Glory of automobile manufacturers. Glory Park. Nizhniy Novgorod.

In Soviet times, smalt mosaics were very often used as decoration for various monuments, fountains and buildings. Although mosaic is one of the most durable decorative materials, often after decades it is necessary to restore damaged areas of the mosaic panel. Unfortunately, the Monument of Glory in Nizhny Novgorod lost its original appearance for more than 4 decades and needed restoration work.

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MONUMENT OF GLORY WITH ETERNAL FLAME IN COMMEMORATION OF THE MILITARY AND LABOR FEATS OF CAR MANUFACTURERS DURING THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR

In 1980, a monument of Glory with an Eternal Flame was opened in the Avtozavodsky district.

The monument was erected in honor of the labor and combat feat of the car manufacturers during the Great Patriotic War. It is located on Lenin Avenue, in the Park of Glory.

The road to the monument is a beautiful alley decorated with flowers, and the monument itself stands on a man-made hill specially built for it.

The composition consists of two connected banners. They embody the unity of the labor and military feat of car manufacturers. The outside of the monument is covered with steel, the relief surface of the monument imitates the developing banners. On the sides are a star and a hammer and sickle — symbols of the Soviet era. A bronze bowl with an Eternal Flame is located on the site in front of the monument.

PANORAMA OF THE MOSAIC PANEL BEFORE RESTORATION

The first inspection of the monument

During the first inspection of the mosaic panel, a number of losses, renewals and destructions were revealed.

Loss of smalt
In many parts of the mosaic, pieces of smalt fell out from a simple touch. During normal rain, individual pieces fell out of the panel when water droplets hit.
Updates
Due to the fact that the destruction of the mosaic panel went on for decades, many areas were painted with ordinary paint, and in some places with losses, the management company added ceramic tiles instead of smalt.
Peeling of plaster
"Voids" were found in some areas of the mosaic panel, the plaster peeled off from the supporting structure and there was a risk of damage to an entire fragment of the mosaic panel.

The restoration of the mosaic was made from the original smalt that was found near the monument and which fell off at the time of cleaning the mosaic. The missing material was made according to samples in our production. Thus, we were able to bring the monument to its original appearance, such as it was on the opening day in 1980.

Mosaic restoration process

Restoration of a mosaic panel is a complex workflow. The task of restoration is to preserve and recreate the mosaic panel in its original form, to make it as it was at the time of opening decades ago. During the restoration of the mosaic panel on the Monument of Glory, we tried to preserve the original smalt and masonry technique, and the missing smalt was made in an authentic form in our smalt factory.

Consult

RESTORATION OF THE MOSAIC PANEL

THE VIDEO SHOWS SOME STAGES OF THE RESTORATION

For several decades during which the pieces of smalt fell off from the mosaic panel and formed empty areas. The management company covered the lost fragments with oil paint to make the overall appearance of the mosaic look more solid.

But since for the restoration and installation of the new smalt, the base had to be clean, degreased and primed, additional work was carried out to remove the paint layer from the mosaic.

For these purposes, a sandblasting machine was used, thanks to which the paint was removed from the concrete base and the wall was prepared for the installation of smalt.

SANDBLASTING OF A MOSAIC PANEL

CLEANING OF MOSAIC AND CONCRETE BASE FROM SMALT

We will go through all the stages of work on the project.

Our team consists of specialists from different fields.

We will prepare the necessary documents, draw up a detailed work plan with a clear and understandable schedule, equip the site taking into account the current norms, perform the work at a professional level and bring the object to its original appearance.

Consult

Before the work began, it was impossible to imagine how many poorly fixed pieces of smalt.

At the initial stage of cleaning the mosaic panel from dust and dirt with a high-pressure washer, a lot of poorly fixed tesserae were simply washed off the mosaic panel. Also, in the process of work, the peeling of the plaster layer was found on the sections of the mosaic panel.

We started the restoration of the mosaic panel on the left (shadow) side, where there was much less damage than on the sunny (right) side the side of the panel.

The photo on the right shows the restoration process just on the sunny side of the monument and you can notice how large the losses are in different parts of the mosaic panel.

THE PROCESS OF RESTORATION OF THE MOSAIC PANEL

IN THE PHOTO, YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY LARGE AREAS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY DISMANTLED, THE PLASTER LAYER UPDATED AND THE MOSAIC REASSEMBLED.

Sections of the sunny side of the monument with great losses of the original mosaic panel.

Restored mosaic on the monument

Photos of the restored mosaic panel on the monument.

1 month
The deadline for all work on the site
220 m2
The area of the mosaic panel
2х3 cm
The size of the pieces of smalt used in the mosaic
1 500 kg
Smalts were made according to samples for restoration

ArtWorker Mosaic

Our team on the project

Our team consists of artists, restorers, suppliers, managers and other specialists, with the help of whom we can carry out large projects in a very short time. In the photo, our team who carried out the restoration work of the mosaic panel in the Park of Glory in Nizhny Novgorod.

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