Preserving the Wall Art of the Legendary Upstage Club

Saving the final wall sections prior to the building's interior demolition.

Preserving Asbury Park’s Music History

Asbury Park Music Foundation has been preserving the City’s vibrant music economy by providing life-changing music education to under-served youth and offering live music events that unite the community while employing local musicians. The effort to save the wall art from the Upstage Club was an opportunity to capture a moment of time and make it available for future generations to enjoy. We raise funds through grants, corporate sponsorships and individual donations. You can help us achieve great results by clicking here to make a donation.

The Wall Art Removal Story

In 2017, a team of volunteers lead by APMF Board member Jim Lenskold spent a series of weekends cutting out pieces of the wall containing the artwork. The art is on walls made of plaster over horizontal wood lathing attached to thin vertical furring strips that was nailed into brick. The plaster can easily crack during removal and subsequent transportation so steps were taken to preserve the integrity of the pieces to the degree possible. The removal process often included securing thin paneling and wood braces over the art, then cutting out the pieces to remove the wall sections from the building. APMF is now the owner and caretaker of 15 pieces of wall art, some of which have been shared to local museums and galleries for display.

This video recaps the removal process with photos and videos: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6lwrm2rpfwavsoa/UpstagePreservation_2017_v2.mp4?dl=0.

 

Resources on the Upstage Club History

Photo Gallery of Wall Art Pieces