Bottle of Suze Anyone?

For a limited time a very precious and rarely displayed artwork is hanging in the permanent collection gallery of the Kemper Art Museum at WASHU (read more about it here). Pablo Picasso's Bottle of Suze is one of the earliest and most famous of the celebrated cubist's collages (learn more about another Picasso collage and his materials here). It combines the long-standing artists' tradition of still life with the early 20th century innovation of collage as well as the political views and satirical commentary of its creator. I have witnessed multiple classes of art students come view and discuss this artwork and every time there is new interpretation and insight. I have also discussed the piece with several visitors and each time I am amazed at the unique interpretations different individuals come up with. It is indeed a most compelling artwork.

It is also an exceptionally fragile artwork. Bottle of Suze displays the typical discoloration and staining of aging paper, and for this reason the museum is very anxious to preserve it and displays it as little as possible.

The preservation problems of this piece are three-fold. The collage's materials, which include newspaper, wallpaper, and construction paper, are incredibly self-damaging. Newspaper deteriorates rapidly due to the moisture content and highly acidic nature of the paper it's printed on. Perhaps even more fragile is the construction paper, or pulp paper, which eventually dries out and becomes so brittle the slightest touch might shatter it. The adhesives that Picasso used to bind all these different papers together may also contribute to their deterioration. It is the 'colle' of the collage, the glue that holds it all together can also be a big factor in its falling apart. Since glues and resins can also be highly acidic this likewise could have contributed to the discoloration of the piece. In addition to both these issues, all the materials of the collage are highly sensitive to light, which is why it is kept in storage the vast majority of the time.

Now the Kemper deals with the light-exposure issue as well as it can. I have personally observed the very careful positioning of the gallery lights so none shine directly on the artwork. All of the Gallery Attendants are given strict instructions to leave the lights in the gallery off till the last possible moment, to reduce the amount of exposure. I have also seen how the piece is covered when the museum is closed. Everything that can be done is done to reduce UV damage.

But what about the self-deterioration of the materials? The Library of Congress has many recommendations for preserving newspaper, but these methods really only apply to regular, printed papers. Such suggestions can successfully serve the needs of a library or an archive, but none could plausibly be applied to this artwork. And how does one preserve wallpaper or construction paper? What can be done to prevent the acids from eventually destroying the whole work? Can anything be done? An even more intriguing question: did Picasso intend that anything could be done? There are those who theorize that the artist meant for the piece to deteriorate. Some see it as his challenging us to solve all the collage's mysteries before it is too late while others interpret it as the Picasso's own anti-war and possibly anarchist views about his contemporary world.

Indeed, a most compelling piece. I love it all the more because it makes me think about the art in a variety of contexts: historical, war, leisure, still life, collage, cubism, and conservation. An artwork that can bring up such a variety of issues and insights is certainly incredible. That Picasso sure was on to something.

Does your museum have similar works or conservation issues? How do you handle objects or artworks that deteriorate rapidly? Can you think of any way to prevent Bottle of Suze from deteriorating?