Congregation Sha'arey Israel, Macon

Restoration of 5 dalle de verre windows, about 330 sq ft of slab glass, at Congregation Sha'arey Israel in Macon, Georgia: taken apart, freed from their original concrete and reset in epoxy resin by artist Stevan Stanisic in 1996.

Words of the prophets in slab glass

Congregation Sha'arey Israel in Macon, Georgia, worships in a Moorish and Art Deco synagogue at Plum and First Streets, dedicated in 1922. Its windows are dalle de verre: thick blocks of hand chipped colored glass that pair symbols with verses, a burning menorah over Zechariah 4:6 and the words of Amos 5:24 on justice and righteousness.

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Highlights

The glass was originally set in concrete. Over the years the porous concrete took in water, rusting its steel reinforcement, and the bond between concrete and glass failed as the 2 materials expanded and shrank at different rates. In 1996 artist Stevan Stanisic completely took apart 5 of the windows, about 330 square feet of glass, freed every slab from the old concrete, cleaned it, laid it back in its place and recast the panels in epoxy resin, which grips the glass, keeps water out and has no steel to rust. The Macon Telegraph covered the work under the headline "Windows to the Soul".

Congregation: Congregation Sha'arey Israel, Macon, Georgia
Work: restoration of 5 dalle de verre windows, about 330 sq ft
Technique: reset from concrete into epoxy resin
Restoration: artist Stevan Stanisic
Year: 1996