At Home with Peggy GUGGENHEIM, Where Art Is on Show!
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ard . f.l li raccan ell o s.p .a. i n dustri a vern ici e smal t i We did this PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION At home with Peggy GUGGENHEIM, where art is on show! The story has it that when Peggy The Peggy Guggenheim Collec- & cosy like a home…….a challen- Guggenheim appeared on the tion (Palazzo Venier dei Leoni - ge for those involved in preserving magnificent canal terrace of Grand Canal in Venice) is one of the magical essence of this Palazzo Venier dei Leoni wearing the most important museums in palace. The challenge for the pool her eccentric hats & sun glasses Italy for European & American art of experts responsible for the ……… summer had arrived! … renowned as an artistic & management of Palazzo Venier architectural mecca. The palazzo dei Leoni was to carry out the resembles Peggy’s extraordinary refurbishing without being “seen Who better than this extraordina- personality ……rich & authoritati- or heard”. ry American avant-gardist could ve like e museum, but also warm perceive even the slightest chan- ges in the light & atmosphere? So deep was her admiration for Venice that not only did she purchase this magnificent palace for her home she also installed an extensive collection of her perso- nal masterpieces. A lot has remained of Peggy’s The generosity and genius and Peggy the museum named after Guggenheim her is admired by about Collection (Palazzo 400.000 visitors each Venier dei Leoni - Grand Canal in Venice) is one of the year. most important museums in Italy for European & American art renowned as an artistic & architectural mecca. The palazzo resembles Peggy’s extraordinary personality rich & authoritati- ve like a museum, but also warm & cosy like a home 6 6 ard . f.l li raccan ell o s.p .a. i n dustri a vern ici e smal t i We did this PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION Giacomo di Thiene - maintenan- When routine & special mainte- replacement, consolidation of ce coordinator remarked that “in nance is programmed we prefer the roof & terrace slab & finally such an ambit architecture must to assign the same to professio- painting of the walls. Architect di almost “disappear” & the pieces nals & collaborators who have Thiene (Th&Ma Architettura) of art must be enhanced without already collaborated with us – followed the works (planning, influencing the natural essence commented Philip Rylands “The organization & coordination). of the same. Furthermore, as the Peggy Guggeinheim Collection” Claudio Furlanetto (Sega) museum never closes a precise (Director). carried out the finishings. The schedule was required to avoid distributor Di Pol Centro Casa any setbacks. So, when it was The last structural changes supplied the ARD finishing latex decided to proceed with the concerned the mechanical paint considered an inexorable special maintenance every minor ventilation units for the conser- ally to enhance the masterpieces detail was evaluated & the best vation of the masterpieces & of The Peggy Guggenheim products & operators chosen. aeration of the premises, lighting Collection. 6 7 ard . f.l li raccan ell o s.p .a. i n dustri a vern ici e smal t i We did this PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION “Giacomo di Thiene, what sort “Maintenance of the museum of maintenance was required must be extremely difficult, and what objectives were set being open 365 days a year”. when planning the same?” Giacomo de Thiene - “Absolu- Giacome de Thiene – “An tely! The “cohabitation” of extraordinary building like permanent galleries, temporary Palazzo Venier del Leoni & exhibitions, the panoramic particular environments like The terrace & private events demand Peggy Guggenheim Collection pinpoint programming” require constant ordinary & special maintenance. The museum has been open to the “So, the works carried out at public for more than 30 years & the beginning of the year its peculiarity demands a diffe- rent form of intervention in followed this rigid process.” Another important intervention comparison to similar structures. regarded the terrace slabs. Furthermore, many transforma- Giacomo di Thiene – “Special Painting of the interior walls was tions have determined a strong maintenance is programmed two also necessary to clean & personalization of the palace years in advance and dead-lines renovate the same. and its surroundings. must be realistic & reliable. The The galleries were opened to the maintenance concerned the public in the 80s. In the 90s the conditioning units which are remaining areas were transfor- extremely important in order to med into galleries, a garden, guarantee an appropriate shop & café. Since the early conservation of the masterpie- years of 2000 an organic expan- ces. The roofs were reinforced sion of the museum has taken and lighting in the permanent place according to a masterplan. galleries & gardens replaced. PALAZZO VENIER DEI LEONI - COLLEZIONE PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: Customer: Peggy Guggenheim Collection Philip Rylands Project design & coordinator: Th&Ma Architettura Giacomo di Thiene Applicators: Segala – Claudio Furlanetto Agent ARD: Photo: Barbaro Sergio Giacomo di Thiene, Philip Rylands & Claudio Furlanetto. 6 8 ard . f.l li raccan ell o s.p .a. i n dustri a vern ici e smal t i PALAZZO VENIER DEI LEONI, A BUILDING THAT INSPIRATES ART & HISTORY Palazzo Venier dei Leoni was begun in 1748 by the architect Lorenzo Boschetti and was never finished... in fact it is known as the “unfinished palace”. Palazzo Venier dei Leoni’s long low facade, made of Istrian stone and set against the trees in the garden, soften its lines and forms a welcome “caesura” in the stately march of Grand Canal palaces from the Accademia to the Salute. The Venier family, who claimed descent from the gens Aurelia of ancient Rome were among the oldest Venetian noble families. From 1910 to 1924 the palace was owned by the flamboyant Marchesa Luisa Casati, hostess to the Ballets Russes, and the subject of numerous portraits by artists such as Boldini, Troubetzkoy, Man Ray and Augustus John. In 1948, Peggy Guggenheim purchased Palazzo Venier from the heirs of Viscountess Castlerosse and made it her home for the following thirty years. From 1951 to 1979 (year of her death) Peggy Guggenheim opened her home and collection to the public. In 1980, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection opened for the first time under the management of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, to which Peggy had donated her palazzo and personal collection. The Foundation also runs the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin. “In a few words …” After a careful evaluation of three different proposals Nelson, Byrd, “A very tight schedule ……..42 Woltz (New York) & Cortesi di days (6 January - 17 February) Parma -already our collaborator - of 12 hour shifts. The most were assigned with the mainte- rewarding aspect was to see that nance of the landscape surroun- all the “teams” were on the same ding the palace. wavelength. At certain stages 40/50 workers were engaged at the same time but everything “What problems did you have to went as planned in compliance face & resolve with the painting with environmental, health & of the walls?” safety laws & regulations”. “The choice of colours was “Did any maintenance require fundamental to enhance the particular attention?” masterpieces in the galleries. A perfect marriage between the Giacomo di Thiene –“The lighting hues and lighting was required to required particular care. As The create a perfect contour …. Once Peggy Guggenheim Collection is gain we chose an ARD - latex located in Peggy’s former home paint optimum for creating so the choice of lighting was light/dark colours with an easy rather complex. The lighting in workability and excellent adhe- museums is usually a separate sion”. unit; this is obviously not the case in the Peggy’s home where elements such as the fireplace must be integrated in the lighting system. 6 9 ard . f.l li raccan ell o s.p .a. i n dustri a vern ici e smal t i We did this PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION VENICE GUGGENHEIM COLLECTIONS COLLEZIONE PERMANENTE The collection is principally based on Peggy Guggenheim’s personal art collection and embraces Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract expressionism. Among the artists represented are Picasso: (The Poet) - Braque (The Clarinet) - Duchamp (Sad Young Man on a Train) - Léger (Men in the city) - Brancusi (Bird in “Which colour was chosen for “Director Philip Reynolds, the Space series) - Severini (Sea Peggy Guggenheim’s permanent ivory-white used for the Peggy Dancer) - Picabia (Very rare Picture on Earth) - De Chirico (The Red collection?” Guggenheim Collection is indeed Tower, The Nostalgia of the Poet) - unique…” Mondrian (Composition N° 1 with Grey & Red 1938 - Composition Giacomo di Thiene – “We chose with Red 1939) Kandinsky an ivory-white which is the colour Philip Rylands – “Absolutely, it is (Landscape with Red Spots - N° 2 found in the Guggenheim in New- exactly the same colour of the White Cross) - Mirò (Seated Woman York. This colour was chosen walls in the Guggenheim in New II) - Giocometti (Woman with Her Throat Cut) - Klee (Magic Garden) - after having carefully compared York ………The quest was to Ernst (The Kiss - Dressing of the various colours. Ivory white is the reproduce it for the galleries in Bride) - Magritte (Empire of Light) - warmest and allows the lighting to Venice. The company “Segala” Dalì (Birth of Liquid Desires) - encapture the aesthetics of the created exactly the same colour. Pollock (The Moon Woman - Alchemy) - Gorky (Untitled) - masterpieces. We have been working with these Calder (Arch of Petals) – Marini. The colours used for the tempora- painters for many years. Our first ry exhibitions are completely contact goes back to 1980 just different. The choice of colours before the museum was inaugu- depends on the themes involved; rated. There had been a problem PATSY R. AND RAYMOND D. NASHER dark intense colours which “exalt” with another firm of painters SCULPTURE GARDEN the characteristics are common.