NEW YORK, July 2 NY-AXA-Art-Insurance
NEW YORK, July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- AXA Art Insurance Corporation is pleased
to announce its support of 'IMAGELESS: The Scientific Study and Experimental
Treatment of an Ad Reinhardt Black Painting', an exhibition on view at the
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum from July 11 through September 14, 2008.
IMAGELESS presents the findings of the AXA Art Conservation Research
Project in conjunction with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the
Museum of Modern Art. In commenting on the significance of IMAGELESS,
Christiane Fischer, CEO of AXA Art, U.S. offered the following statement, "We
are pleased to have catalyzed this pioneering 7-year conservation research
project. It is our hope that the findings and documentation will lead to new
directions in preserving the legacy of monochromatic and minimalist paintings,
so that their beauty and relevance may be shared and understood by future
generations".
IMAGELESS grew out of a donation by AXA Art to the Guggenheim of a
severely damaged Black Painting by Ad Reinhardt (1913-1967) for research
study. The fragile surface of the Reinhardt painting had been marred by
scratches, abrasions, and a stain during transit. The damages were treated by
conservators, but the end result was considered unsuccessful and the painting
was deemed a total loss. AXA Art paid the owner the agreed-upon value of the
painting and put it into storage.
Following the damage and loss of Black Painting, issues of the
conservation and preservation of modern works made from non-traditional
materials as well as works with extremely fragile surfaces were debated
internally at AXA Art. At issue were the assessments of the insurability of
such works of art and conservation strategies for the notoriously fragile
surfaces of minimalist and monochromatic paintings.
Carol Stringari, Chief Conservator of the Guggenheim Museum, served as the
foci for the research project. She had worked on an Ad Reinhardt exhibition
previously held at MoMA, and, still steeped in Reinhardt's paintings, was
passionately enthusiastic about the prospect of learning even more about their
care and conservation. Stringari led a collaborative team of conservators,
scientists, curators, and artists to carry out a complete physical examination
and scientific analysis of Black Painting. What started out as the donation
of an unsalvageable painting to a museum for research turned into an
unprecedented exploration of experimental treatment directly on a damaged,
historically significant Ad Reinhardt monochromatic painting? The AXA Art
Conservation Research Project led to the creation of a dossier of information
about Reinhardt's working methods and experimental conservation techniques
used on the painting.
The AXA Art Conservation Research Project in conjunction with the Solomon
R. Guggenheim Foundation and the Museum of Modern Art became the forerunner of
the global AXA Art Research Grant, which is now awarded for examination and
study of conservation that promises long-term contribution to preserving
cultural assets for future generations. The initial AXA Art Research Grant
was made to the Vitra Museum in Germany and focused on the study of the
material qualities and life expectancy of design objects made of plastic. The
second project, the Tate AXA Art Modern Paints Project focuses on the material
qualities and aging of acrylic paints.
There were several revelations during the course of the AXA Art
Conservation Research Project including findings about Reinhardt's techniques
and the very specific history of over painting of this particular study
painting. The technical breakthroughs, the historical context of the Black
Paintings within Ad Reinhardt's oeuvre, and the ethical, philosophical, and
conceptual considerations prompted by this research are all described in a
forthcoming co-publication of AXA Art and the Guggenheim Museum.
IMAGELESS opens July 11, 2008 and remains on view through September 14,
2008 at the Guggenheim, 1071 Fifth Avenue (at 89th Street). The exhibition is
organized by Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation's Conservation Center in
collaboration with the Sackler Center for Arts Education and is made possible
with generous support from AXA Art Insurance Corporation. The AXA Foundation,
the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable has also provided additional support
for this exhibition.
About AXA Art Insurance
AXA Art is the leading global Art Insurer with international headquarters
in Cologne, Germany, and offices in France, the UK, Spain, Italy, Switzerland,
Belgium, Netherlands, North America and Asia. The company insures objects in
every active area of collecting which extends from paintings, drawings and
sculpture to rare stamps, antique furnishings and vintage vehicles. AXA Art
serves a wide range of clients, from first-time purchasers to the world's most
respected collectors, as well as artists, museums, galleries, corporations,
and exhibition.
In North America AXA Art maintains operations in New York, Atlanta, Los
Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Boston as well as Toronto and Montreal. For more
information visit www.axa-art.com
MEDIA CONTACTS:
AXA Art Insurance CorporationSolomon R. Guggenheim
Rosalind N. Joseph Betsy Ennis
Head of Global Media & Director, Media and Public
Public Relations Relations
3 West 35th Street, 11th Floor 1071 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10104 New York, NY 10128
Mobile: 718-710-5181 Tel: 212 423 3842
Cell: 917-783-6553
SOURCE AXA Art Insurance Corporation
