The Santa Monica Landmarks Commission unanimously voted on Monday night to designate the late Paul Conrad’s 26-foot tall mushroom cloud sculpture “Chain Reaction” as a cultural landmark.
However, the vote does not save the deteriorating sculpture installed in 1991 outside the Civic Center from being decommissioned at the end of the year.
Santa Monica City Council in March voted to give the sculpture’s supporters until Nov. 15 to raise enough money to help restore the fading piece of public art.
To keep the sculpture standing, private fundraising must meet about $250,000 that is required for repair and conservation of the structure.
