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Contractors Cut Calder’s “Mountains and Clouds” Clouds Overnight

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 11:39 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. contractors installed carbon-fiber cloud pieces on Alexander Calder’s “Mountains and Clouds” sculpture.
Two private donors funded the $12 million renovation of the sculpture.
Safety officials lowered the original clouds after a 2011 earthquake raised structural concerns.
Consultant Christian Quilici reported the clouds were removed at night and cut up without notice.
The new carbon-fiber slabs are three inches thick and appear to float over the steel mountains.

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Story summary

U.S. contractors installed carbon-fiber cloud pieces on Alexander Calder’s “Mountains and Clouds” sculpture.
Two private donors funded the $12 million renovation of the sculpture.
Safety officials lowered the original clouds after a 2011 earthquake raised structural concerns.
Consultant Christian Quilici reported the clouds were removed at night and cut up without notice.
The new carbon-fiber slabs are three inches thick and appear to float over the steel mountains.