The work by artist Edgar Negret (Colombia, 1920-2012) entitled El Maíz (Maize), is a public sculpture that stands in front of the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS), in Washington D.C. Donated to the OAS by Negret 16 years ago, the piece is visibly deteriorated.
El Maíz is approximately 10 meters high and is valued at US 700,000.00. Because of the many years that it has been on display outdoors without having received any proper care, the OAS is considering having the work demolished.
The visible corrosion on the base is actually the most critical point, as it is tilting the entire structure toward the Art Museum of the Americas (AMA), the institution responsible for its care.
Although Andrés Navia, Director of the AMA, has expressed a desire to restore it, an initial assessment of the repairs has been estimated at around USD 200,000.00.
Experts predict the same deterioration to reoccur after any restoration is attempted, because the materials cannot resist the erosion caused by the weather. Another option is to make a copy of the piece with more resistant materials, but at the moment there is nobody that can sign the rights of the work away. The heirs of the artist are currently in the process of obtaining the rights.
Without money to finance the restoration or the permit to make a reproduction, the future of the sculpture remains uncertain.