From theory to practice - issues around the preservation of the installation “Oh la la,… Oh la balançoire/Microcosmos Tentacular” (2003-04) from Susanne Themlitz

Abstract

Taking the installation artwork Oh la la,… Oh la balançoire/Microcosmos Tentacular (2003-04) by Susanne Themlitz as the starting point of this research, this work focuses on the production of documentation and on the concerns of the artwork preservation. After its first exhibition at Centro de Arte Moderna, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon, Portugal), this installation was acquired by Colecção da Caixa Geral de Depósitos and due to the uncommon qualities of the artwork, it represents a challenging piece in the conservation field. It has about 250 elements of different shapes and materials and requires an exhibition space of 150 m2. There is also a lack of documentation about the artwork creative process, installation and conservation requirements and, moreover, elements that may constitute degradation sources. Among those sources are cabbages and artichokes, wood pieces attacked by fungi and insects, one embalmed marten and ephemeral materials such as polyurethane and other plastics. A dynamic role in the preservation of the artwork is demanded of the owner institution and the production of tools that ensure both the sensorial and aesthetic experience, as well as its original materiality, is demanded of the conservator. Based on the artwork significance assessment, on an interdisciplinary approach that includes methodologies from the exact, humanity and social sciences and a close contact with the artist, made it possible to overcome the posed challenges and evaluate different conservation compromises.