2022-04-11
A work of art on tour
“At some point, your walls at home are no longer big enough for your own pictures. You then realise you’ve gone from being an art lover to an art collector”, says Reinhard Ernst and adds, “Meanwhile I now only collect for the museum and therefore for the public.” As the public is at home all over the world, works from the Reinhard Ernst Collection are repeatedly on tour. This was also the case this week, when Mariana-Ricarda Zell – the Reinhard Ernst Museum’s restorer – was allowed to prepare four works to be transported to the Bundeskunsthalle (Germany’s art and exhibition centre) in Bonn and the Kunsthalle in Krems (exhibition centre in Lower Austria).
Transportation is one of the main risks for works of art and probably the most frequent reason for insurance claims. This is why preparation by the restorer and packaging are hugely important. The special transport crates are very expensive to produce. They have to be made and equipped to match the dimensions of the individual works and constructed in such a way that they can allow for short-term, drastic changes in the ambient climate and not cause any damage. These boxes often cannot be used for other purposes, so they remain with the museum and take up a lot of storage space. Therefore, there is also the option of using what are essentially loan or rental boxes. Many shipping companies have different crate formats and sizes in stock, only the interiors are adapted to the proportions of the works (with foam, for example). This is a resource-saving system that is used for all four of our loans.
In addition to the risk assessment and protective precautionary measures, our restorer has to first and foremost check and log the condition of the works. This means she can determine whether the painting is stable and if certain measures may be required, such as strengthening the coat of paint so it will not peel away during transport. The log allows her to determine exactly any damage that has occurred during transport or at the exhibition. Everything is of course documented photographically.
In addition to the business aspect, loaning is also a matter of trust. If we don’t know the recipient institution or the individuals involved, it is sometimes the case that the restorer accompanies the work there. Great care is also advised when opening the crate and hanging the work. Screws may have come loose; interior padding may have shifted. In addition, many people are often present when unpacking, so the works have to be protected from being touched inadvertently.
The unique Reinhard Ernst Collection is internationally well-known, but has not been exhibited much so far. Our museum is happy to loan works in order to show the artists and their creative work in a new context, to bring works together and inspire visitors to other museums to enjoy abstract art.