Over the course of the last three weeks, Manny has gone from being an Ethafoam rectangle to a realistic (and appropriately dirty) beet laborer. After all that hard work, he waited patiently in the museums Exhibits Office before being relocated to his new home.
By early August, I was ready to put him on display. The exhibits team and I loaded Manny into the museums van and made the short trek to Centennial Villages replica Spanish Colony House. Instead of risking damage to the props, clothes, and artifacts in the move, I decided to take Manny to Centennial Village in parts and reassemble him on site. Manny’s head, torso, arms and legs, shirt and stand went together. His overalls, shoes, hands, props, and hat traveled in a separate box.
Manny’s exhibit case was ready and waiting for him when we arrived (pictured). Our first task was to get him dressed. I felt like a fashion designer as I positioned his hat and overalls, and fussed with buttons to make his clothes sit perfectly. While I adjusted the details, Assistant Exhibits Curator Nicole Famiglietti sewed his gloved hands onto his arms (pictured), making sure that they were sturdy enough to support his props.After he was dressed, we carefully lifted him into the case and angled him toward the entryway, figuring he would attract more attention that way. Now, it was time for his props.
Manny’s arm and foam hand supported the model sugar beet well (see Week 2), but his case was not wide enough to display it down at his side. So, I secured his sleeve and glove to the front of his overalls as though he was holding the beet up proudly. The beet topping knife was a bit heavier than the papier-mâché beet, so Manny’s left hand needed help to hold it up properly.
Exhibits Intern Kristine Nigl wove clear fishing line around the beet knife and through Manny’s fingers to secure it in place (pictured). Then, we attached long pieces of fishing line to the top of the knife and screwed a hook into the top of the wooden case. Once the knife was positioned where it looked best, we tied a knot in the long pieces of fishing line and placed them over the hook.
The only thing left to do was position the shoes. Earlier, I had chosen a brown woven fabric to represent dirt under Manny’s feet. So, I crouched down and arranged the fabric to cover the base of his stand and the white cases floor. Then, I put on my gloves, carefully removed the work boots from their box, and positioned them under the pant legs.
I stepped back and carefully examined all of Manny’s details. With a heavy (but also proud) heart, I decided that he was complete. So, I shut the exhibit case and packed up for the day. Now, he patiently waits to tell visitors the story of the Spanish Colonys sugar beet laborers.
Visit Manny at the Spanish Colony Exhibit opening soon at Centennial Village!
Written by: Holly Berg, Greeley Museums Exhibits Assistant