The Conservation of Salvador Dals work: Problems and Solutions

Georgina Berini, Conservator-Restorer

Gala-Salvador Dal Foundation

The more you conserve, the less you will have to restore

The conservation of Salvador Dals work, which is one of the most varied, intense and extensive collections of the 20th century, is characterised by a series of problems arising from the multiple forms of expression used by the artist, and a series of factors which lead to the deterioration of the materials making up the artwork. Over a period of almost 70 years of uninterrupted activity, Dal used an enormously wide variety of techniques and created an entire collection of objects, assemblages and installations, as can be clearly seen in the different exhibition spaces managed by the Gala-Salvador Dal Foundation: the Theatre-Museum in Figueres, and the museum-houses in Portlligat and Pbol. Dal is one of the paradigms of contemporary art, with his eagerness to blend life and art, and his aspiration to provide all spaces and time with an artistic meaning. For this reason, the Theatre-Museum is not just a mere container for the works of an artist; it was conceived to be an immense installation or assemblage, which would not only provide a scene
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for different works of art, but be a work of art in itself. His house in Portlligat was the scene of constant happenings and successive assemblages and installations. He lent his surreal touch to the decoration of the castle in Pbol and before retiring to what was his last residence, the Torre Galatea, he ensured that the outside of the Theatre-Museum bore his personal stamp by crowning it with eggs and figures, and decorating the faade with hundreds of three-pointed bread loaves. People often associate conservation, and in particular, restoration, with antiques and art from the past, and it is somewhat difficult to understand why work by such a modern artist as Dal is already in need of the attention of restorers. The case is, however, that while the term Contemporary Art remains in use, the years are going by and avant-garde works are becoming old. It is this ageing process, heightened by a series of factors which we will analyse further on in this article, that needs to be slowed down through the implementation of an increasingly high-priority preventative policy. When it began in 1985, the Conservation and Restoration Department (CRD) of the Gala-Salvador Dal Foundation had just one restorer dedicated exclusively to Dals work. It has since grown, and is now formed by a team of five professionals working in four main areas: conservation, restoration, research and exhibitions. Conservation involves the regular monitoring and general upkeep of the three museums. It is necessary to clean the works of art and ensure that they are suitably protected by their respective framing systems. It is also necessary to check that the environment of the exhibition rooms is kept in optimum conditions for the works of art (temperature, relative humidity, lighting), and to keep possible pest infestations, such as woodworm, under control. The CRDs operating philosophy can be neatly summed up with the maxim the more you conserve, the less you will have to restore, which is the equivalent of the popular expression prevention is better than cure, voiced by doctors, who are, after all specialists
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in the restoration of humans. The Department has thus designed a prevention policy in a bid to protect the museums works of art from the wear and tear inherent in usage and the passing of time. The policy involves identifying the causes of deterioration, and notifying this information to the management levels of the Foundation through the drawing up of technical reports. In the majority of cases, these reports have led to steps being taken to improving conservation conditions for Dals work. The first of these reports had the privilege of actually reaching the hands of Dal himself, and serves as an example of the utility of this work. The report was written in 1985 following the restoration of the oil painting Port Alguer, which at the time was exhibited (and still is) in the Treasure Room at the TheatreMuseum. The restorer requested for the painting not to be returned to the same room under the same conditions as before its restoration, i.e. a simple foursided wooden frame, no protection whatsoever against dust, ultraviolet radiation, or accidental or deliberate blows or scratches from visitors. In actual fact, it was Dal who provided an aesthetic yet practical solution to the problems posed. He requested that the painting be encased in an almost fully sealed glass structure with an oak frame and set against a background of wine-coloured velvet, identical to the material covering the walls of the Treasure Room. Today, following 15 years of priority restoration work on paintings and drawings, we now only carry out minor restoration or repair work on pictures held in reserve by the Foundation to allow their exhibition under the most favourable of conditions. For this reason, increasing importance is being placed on restoring other creations by Dal, such as objects, assemblages and installations. Given the complexity of these works of art and the inevitable limitations in terms of staff, it is often necessary to call upon the services of external specialists in the treatment of paper, wood, textile, etc. The CRD instructs these specialists on the peculiarities of Dals work and coordinates their efforts. A particularly interesting example of such a project was the reconstruction of a new wig-curtain for the Mae West Room in the Museum-Theatre by a team of theme artists (whose name comes from their work on the construction of theme parks). They
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are specialised in the recreation of all types of objects and settings, and could be considered the modern version of set designers. The third area of work which the CRD carries out, and which is essential for proceeding correctly with both conservation and restoration tasks, is that of research. The Department focuses its research on the study of the many and surprising techniques employed by Salvador Dal. It works in conjunction with the scientific laboratories of the Conservation and Restoration Departments of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Barcelona, and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofa in Madrid.
Since the summer of 2001, the Mae West Room offers us a new face thanks to the revival of this actresss special hairstyle.

Scientific research is further complemented by the compilation of valuable information on technical subjects taken from texts and books belonging to Dal, and which are now in the hands of the Dal Study Centre. Dal wrote down many of his reflections on the practice of art, and thankfully, these writings contain a good number of his own criteria, which help to guide the Foundation in its conservation and restoration efforts. Finally, within the area of exhibitions, the CRD sees that international conservation standards are fulfilled and looks after technical matters to reduce the risk factors involved when moving works of art. For this reason, it is important to assess the state of conservation of works of art on loan to other institutions, to ensure that they are protected by suitable framing systems, and to monitor the packing process and the new conditions under which the work of art is exhibited. In view of the above, the CRD bases its first criteria for action on knowledge of the work, the artists intentions, and the causes of its deterioration. Once in possession of this knowledge, there are two procedures to be established: preventative measures to curb deterioration factors and the selection of actions in accordance with the state of conservation of the work. When it is necessary to intervene, criteria can range from a standard restoration job for conventional works of art (which are the majority of cases), to extreme cases where an original is replaced
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by a copy (like the previously mentioned example of Mae Wests wig). We also carry out a considerable deal of unique restoration work for special cases.

Why does contemporary art deteriorate? Dals case

We will find the main answers to this fundamental question in Dals Theatre-Museum, the culmination of his deliria, and an enormous showcase for the majority of his different types of artistic creations. As medical experience yet again demonstrates, it is not always enough to tackle the symptoms (which is what is always expected of restoration work); more than often, it is necessary to tackle the cause. In order to conserve a building as varied as the TheatreMuseum, it was absolutely essential to identify the causes of deterioration in order to prevent them or reduce their influence. Three main causes were identified: The first cause of deterioration is linked to the geographical characteristics of the area in which the Theatre-Museum is located: the plain of the Empord was originally a marshland, which means that the area is characterised by a generally high level of relative humidity until the northern tramuntana wind starts to blow and dries up the atmosphere suddenly and drastically. This phenomenon is only too familiar to anyone living in the Alt Empord region, and is something that we have all become used to. Our doors and windows, for example, become easier or more difficult to open depending on whether the weather is wet or windy. Fluctuations in relative humidity also affect the stability of different materials in our everyday lives - wood, paper and fabrics, etc. are all affected, and coincidentally, these are the same materials used in works of art. A painting is nothing more than paint on a piece of material stretched over a wooden frame or support, or on cardboard or paper, as is the case with a watercolour or drawing, to name but a few examples. These materials, known as hygroscopic, are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in relative humidity - they expand (by absorbing water) or shrink (by expelling water) to maintain their equilibrium with the humidity
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of their environment. This property causes alterations to their volume, which eventually affect their structure. It is therefore easy to imagine how, over time, such movements tend to make these materials fragile, and that their conservation depends on how climatically stable their environment is. In order to effectively fight against the slow but sure deterioration of works of art caused by unfavourable climatic conditions, the Dal TheatreMuseum installed a general climate-control system in 1994 which is regulated and controlled by a central computer. This system has worked to the benefit of both the works of art and the public in that it maintains the inside temperature and relative humidity stable regardless of weather conditions outside. The second factor which causes deterioration is inherent to the building itself - a building which was not conceived by Dal as a conventional museum. When Dal first presented his project in 1961, he threatened not to restore the original theatre which had been half destroyed during the civil war, as he thought that its present condition was marvellous. His idea was to install photos of his paintings in the ruins of the windows and maintain the former fish shops so that the public could view his Homeric orgy through large windows! Thirteen years were to pass, however, before the Theatre-Museum as we know it today was inaugurated. This was 1974, and those years more than likely served to soften Dals daring and ultra-vanguardist intentions. Although the building was eventually refurbished and retained its classic Italian-style theatre structure, Dal added an emblematic detail he crowned the building with a unique geodesic dome made of an iron structure supporting a series of methacrylate triangular panes. This aesthetic triumph, however, posed a serious risk for the conservation of the works of art which were supposedly meant to be protected by the museum. The enormous fluctuations in the relative humidity and temperature which characterised the Alt Empord region could not be counteracted by the poor protection offered by the simple methacrylate panes, and it was
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impossible to control the climate of the Dome Room due to its size and characteristics. It was not until 1999 that the Foundation discovered a way to tackle the problem, i.e. to counteract the domes antimuseum effect. The only possible solution was to replace the iron structure with an identical stainless steel structure, capable of bearing the weight of double-glazed panes. Although this change greatly improved the thermal insulation of a large part of the museum, its structure meant that it still could not provide the protection from light which is desirable for the conservation of paintings and drawings. Returning to the example of our homes, we have all seen how fabrics exposed to sunlight fade... so part of the magic of this beautiful glass dome disappears when we realise that there are paintings on display underneath. For this reason we applied extreme preventative measures in this room, such as the replacement of originals with photographs, as Dal himself did with The Hallucinogenic Bullfighter an oil painting measuring 400 x 300 cm which he painted between 1968 and 1970. This painting had been acquired by Reynolds and Eleanor Morse, founders of the Salvador Dal Museum in Florida, and Dal ordered a life-size photographic reproduction on canvas to be made for the Theatre-Museum. He placed it at a height from which viewers cannot see if it is a painting or not, but which is perfect for enjoying the conceptual and playful purpose of the double image. The other liberty which Dal took with regards his museum, and which went against all conservation criteria, was to retain the original stalls area of the theatre as it had been left by the war, i.e. a large open-air space. This is where, over the years, he created his final installation, a succession of interlinked assemblages which he topped off with Galas boat (and other elements). This was his final tribute to Gala following her death. All the works in the patio are exposed to the elements, and they all have needed, and will continue to need, restoration work. One of the most interesting examples of this restoration work is that which was carried out on the Cadillac. The Cadillac is famous for the fact that it rains inside the car but what people forget is that it also gets wet
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Partial view of the Dome Room at the Dal Theatre-Museum.

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when it rains outside. This unique car, which at the wish of its owner was transformed into a work of art, has had parts of its body replaced with polyester parts, a modern material which has the advantage of being rustproof. The third factor which contributes to the deterioration of Salvador Dals work is ironically its popularity, i.e. the spectacular and constant stream of visitors who flock to the Theatre-Museum. Aside from meeting the expectations of the artist, the large number of visitors to the museum also has a highly positive effect on the Foundations books, and secondary effects on conservation efforts. Some of these effects are negative as it is not difficult to imagine how the temperature and relative humidity of the environment are altered as enclosed spaces become filled with people. The museums long opening hours also increase the possibilities of accidental or deliberate blows and scratches. There are also positive effects, however, in that more visitors mean more income, which allows the museum the uncommon privilege of being able to systematically invest in the latest in prevention, restoration and conservation systems. Fundamental restoration efforts such as the replacement of the dome and the overall climate-control system are further complemented by an entire prevention structure including encased glass framing systems which contain a special product to regulate the relative humidity and ensure a microclimate inside the frames. The protective glass used filters UV light and is non-glare, thus allowing a perfectly clear view of the pictures and drawings. Lighting in the room is also strictly controlled, with light intensities within values recommended by international standards.

General diagnosis, specific treatments

The state of conservation of Salvador Dals paintings and drawings, is, in general, quite good. His work can be divided into three main periods, and the conservation levels of the corresponding works of art depend on their technical quality and the use that has been made of them. To be specific, his work can be divided into his juvenilia, produced between 1914 and 1928; his period of greatest splendour (extending
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from surrealism to what Dal himself termed as rebirth or return to classicism); and, finally, his post-1970s creations. Although Dals earliest creations are not his best known, they are the most interesting from a technical point of view as they form part of a period characterised by constant renewal he experimented successively with different techniques and styles, ranging from impressionism to cubism, from oil painting to tempera, mixed techniques on cardboard, collages of sand, shells and stones His fragile creations and use of unusual materials require us to improvise new conservation and handling techniques, and design special framing systems. In contrast, however, the fact that these works are his least popular means that their state of conservation is quite good as they have not had to participate in so many exhibitions. From 1929 onwards, Dals painting entered a state of evolution which came to a head in 1940 with his decision to delve further into a technique similar to that used by the Dutch painters of the 17th century. The refinement of this technique consisted of recreating reality with smooth glossy artwork which makes it almost impossible to make out the brushstrokes, thus achieving a precision of details comparable to a photograph. The difficulties inherent in this technique and the fact that they are Dals most famous and requested works (which means they have to be moved around most and are subject to questionable exhibition conditions) mean that they are the most difficult works to conserve and restore. They are paintings which have aged before their time and become fragile through use; a lot of them are technically acceptable but their frames, which were duly restored in their time, bear witness to their bumpy journeys through countless exhibitions. The third and final important period of Dals work coincides with the beginning of his own physical deterioration in the 70s, and runs through to 1983, the year in which he produced his last painting. He remained coherently faithful to the techniques of the old masters but the fact that his prolific creativity had begun to be incompatible with the progress of his illness, Dal had to increasingly work with an
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assistant who prepared the canvases for him according to his instructions. This group of paintings do not present serious conservation problems because of their age, their technique, and the fact that they have not been moved around much. Salvador Dals paintings bear the mark of their history of being moved from one place to another, and in the majority of cases their state of degradation has been exacerbated by the many random movements and handling they have been subjected to. Salvador Dal was already an internationally renowned artist by the early 30s, and he made sure that his work formed part of the main modern art circuits of the time, with Paris and New York being the main centres, as they still are. Dal became one of the leading artists of the century in terms of participation in exhibitions abroad; from the time of his first exhibition in Barcelona in 1925 to the inauguration of his Theatre-Museum in 1974, his works had participated in 124 solo exhibitions and 148 group exhibitions around Europe and the United States. We should think about what these journeys must have been like back in the 1930s, and right through to not so long ago, when it was no easy task to find transport companies specialised in moving works of art, or indeed means of transport which offered the guarantees we have today. In addition, there were no modern packing materials such as those used today to absorb shocks and provide insulation. The increased demand for exhibitions featuring works by Dal means that the Gala-Salvador Dal Foundation is constantly having to move works around. Works for exhibitions are selected in accordance with their state-of-conservation file, which is a type of curriculum vitae for each painting including a clear photograph of the painting, technical data, exhibitions it has participated in, an evaluation of its state (good, moderate or poor) and its availability (available, unavailable, available under special conditions). Availability is subject to fragility, size, importance of location in museum, etc. If a painting has to be moved, the operation is supervised by a member of staff of the Foundation until the painting reaches its
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destination, thus ensuring that conservation standards are strictly met. So far, we have talked about general causes of deterioration of works of art and the preventative measures applied in order to respect as closely as possible the maxim the more you conserve, the less you will have to restore. Nevertheless, since 1985 we have had to intervene over 300 times to restore different works. So many years without a prevention policy have left their mark on a number of works of art - abrasions, scratches, gaps, accumulated dirt, deformations and in some cases tears caused by blows and/or incorrect positioning. We have even come across poorly restored works (incorrect or abusive retouches, the use of unsuitable products), which has allowed us to understand why Dal did not take so well to restorers. We have also found a very small number of works which presented problems caused by a faulty technique used by Dal himself. The purpose of any restoration work is to resolve specific problems and alter the original and characteristic appearance of the work as little as possible; a Dal painting cannot be treated like an old painting, or like a painting of a contemporary. To cite one of many examples, Dals finishes are highly unique in that he played with a combination of matte and gloss finishes to place emphasis on light. Thanks to our knowledge of Dals techniques, we have been able to become experts in restoring restorations, by removing indiscriminately applied varnishes or retouches from earlier restorations which had altered the appearance of Dals original work. We fully respect the internationally recognised standard of minimum intervention and can guarantee that what the public is looking at is actually Dals creation and not the restorers. We have sometimes been required to adopt pretty unconventional restoration techniques, as was the case with The Apotheosis of the Dollar, an oil painting on a canvas measuring 300 x 400 cm from 1965. The painting was purchased by the Foundation in 1991 and thus unknowingly saved from a long history of abuse. It had ended up in a warehouse, folded to take up less space, and bearing the marks (on the
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Two close-ups of an identical part (at the bottom of the cloth) of The Basket of Bread (1926): the first, as it was sent by the Salvador Dal Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, clearly showing the effects of poor restoration work, and the second, showing the results of the re-restoration work carried out in Figueres in 1993.

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canvas and paintwork) of the fortuitous blows it had received at the hands of non-professionals over the years while being moved from exhibition to exhibition. It took a year to restore, and no expense or efforts were spared in the intervention. Of particular interest was the special low-pressure canvas support used to dominate the distortions the canvas has suffered. This large-sized painting has now been provided with a new aluminium frame which has a continuous stretch system which prevents the material from becoming distorted. Whats more, it was the first canvas in the world to be screwed rather than nailed to its frame, thus allowing it to be easily removed when it has to be moved. These innovative methods have greatly benefited the painting The Apotheosis of the Dollar, but its greatest luck has been that it has come to form part of the Foundations unavailable collection of works. It has been on permanent display in the Theatre-Museum since 1992, once it had participated in an exhibition for which it had been promised.

Dals other creations a permanent challenge

The conservation of all types of objects, including those which form part of Dals assemblages and installations is becoming an increasingly important part of the work carried out by the Department of Conservation and Restoration of the Gala-Salvador Dal Foundation. The opening up of Dals houses in Portlligat and Pbol to the public has obliged restorers to diversify their efforts in order to conserve a large number of objects with which Dal decorated his everyday life. In normal circumstances, this would not be greatly different from what would have to be done in any museum-house displaying places and objects related to the life of someone famous. However, in this case we are dealing with Dal, who was an artist in all senses, and who filled his surroundings with aesthetic meaning. For this reason, apart from conserving the fetish value of the objects Dal surrounded himself with, we need to conserve the atmosphere Dal wanted to create with these objects.

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However, we will leave the conceptual problem of conserving Dals houses for another occasion, and focus for now on some practical examples of restoration work on assemblages specially created by Dal for his Theatre-Museum. It is important to stress that the restoration and maintenance of these type of complex, heterogeneous and at times monumental works is not the work of just restorers, but also theme artists (specialists in theme parks), and varying tradespeople such as carpenters, upholsterers, builders, painters, electricians, and many more. When the TheatreMuseum was opened, the construction and subsequent maintenance of Dals assemblages and installations were entrusted to a technician called Pedro Aldmiz (whom Dal always referred to as Adamis). Pedros work was comparable to that of an orchestra director conducting a team of industrialists to the benefit of art. His close collaboration with restorers has allowed conservation work on Dals assemblages (and in some cases on unique paintings such as The Apotheosis of the Dollar) to be performed under optimum conditions. Returning to our practical examples, let us start with the Mae West Room, which is one of Dals original installations in the Theatre-Museum. The public have to walk along a narrow passageway between the wig and a stair assemblage crowned by a camel from where they can see Mae Wests face through a special lens. Over 25 years of accidental and not so accidental contact by visitors with this wig had made it necessary to restore it several times with the collaboration of the artist cum hairdresser whom Dal had worked with to create the wig. This restoration work continued until miracles were no longer possible, and the artificial hair had deteriorated so much that the time had come for the wig to be replaced. Remaining faithful to the Foundations criteria of respect for the original idea and improvement of the works conservation conditions, a team of theme artists created a new wig. The artificial hair was placed over a frame of expanded polystyrene and polyester to achieve volume. In the areas the public had to pass, the hair was replaced by a curtain, which is more resistant than the hair, and more in keeping with Dals original project Mae
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West's Face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment. The original painting is owned by the Art Institute of Chicago, but there is a copy on display in the Mae West Room of the Theatre-Museum.
Also interesting because of their fragile nature are Dals moving assemblages (coin-operated mechanisms). One example is the Unfoldable Christ in the Dome Room, which is enclosed in a glass case under The Hallucinogenic Bullfighter. It was specially created for the museum by Dal in the 1970s he painted the face of Christ onto a piece of material which he then had sewn to a tunic made from a scarf which had once belonged to Elisabeth Taylor. This figure is attached to a metallic structure by its arms and legs, and it folds and unfolds every time a coin is inserted, remaining in a folded position when not in operation. Following twenty years of continuous operation and restoration (it used to become stained with grease from the lubrications, and from time to time became caught up in its arrises), it was finally decided to intervene in a drastic manner in order to save Dals original creation. A copy of the figure was made in order to attach it to the mechanism, and the original was restored. This original figure is now on display behind glass to allow the public to happily contemplate Dals painting of Christ and the implicit fetishism of a Hollywood stars scarf. One of the most complicated outdoor conservation cases is that of Car-naval, the giant sculpture which presides over the Theatre-Museums patio. It rains inside the taxi every time the mechanism is activated by a coin, and the three models and plastic leaves inside need special cleaning and attention. The rain system and ever refined interior lighting system also need painstaking care and attention. As we have already mentioned, half of the Cadillacs body is now made of polyester, as it was unable to withstand so many years of rain inside and outside. On top of this enormous assemblage stands a boat, which is visible to the public from a distance of over 10 metres, which has allowed us to readapt it to a considerable extent in order to conserve its appearance (after more than 15 years of being exposed to the elements, the wood would otherwise now be in a
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terrible state). We lined the inside of the boat with polyester and fitted it with a drain. Missing wooden parts were filled in with polyurethene foam and the boat has been repainted as often as necessary to conserve the image that Dal wanted - Galas yellow boat, fresh out of the water. This boat, complete with its own cypress tree, forms an emblematic assemblage which welcomes visitors to the Dal house in Portlligat. Paradoxically, its treatment required a completely different approach from that used for Galas boat. This boat is what is known as a llagut, a traditional Mediterranean lateen- sail boat no longer in use. It was given to Dal as a present in the 1960s, and until recently, its state of conservation was dreadful - for over forty years, it had stood at the end of a path which turned into a running stream every time it rained. The cypress tree inside it had continued to grow and visitors loved taking photos inside the boat, which caused the already deteriorated wood to deteriorate even further. At the beginning of 2001, and in conjunction with a team of wood restoration specialists, it was decided to carry out an archaeological-type restoration, which consisted of removing the different materials and unsuitable varnishes which had been added over time, cleaning the wood of earth, cypress leaves and all types of insects and parasites (including slugs), coating the boat with a product suited to outdoor use, and strengthening the structure of the boat (without changing parts which did not contribute to the stability of the structure). Through this work, we successfully managed to respect the original llagut, strengthen it for its future, and obtain a result which was coherent with Dals work, as is evident from the close-up of the work which inspired the assemblage - Apparition of My Cousin Carolineta on the Beach at Roses (1934). We can conclude that the different problems and solutions we have discussed in this article are just a small example of how contemporary art conservation techniques have had to adapt to the profound changes which have characterised the world of art in recent years - new materials, new techniques and, above all, new intentions and meanings.

The boat at Portlligat, currently being restored, and a close-up of Dals painting which he used as the basis for this assemblage.

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