CV: Right, it can be very stressful to see those big pieces go in, even when you know that everyone in this team is a professional. But that’s why every aspect of installation is carefully documented between the Registrar’s Office and the Conservation teams. We want to make sure that we are taking the best care when unpacking and installing these pieces.
HL: On top of that, securing the pieces to manage seismic risk, placing them, and lighting them are all very complicated tasks that are part of the process.
MC: Exhibition installations are one of the most amazing and nerve-wracking experiences for conservators. You are constantly worrying about the objects; but it’s also a chance to spend hours closely looking at these beautifully made objects in a way that few people in the world probably have. Every object that is put on display undergoes a condition check when it first arrives in order to ensure that no damage occurred during transport. This gave me a chance to closely observe the surfaces of these objects and to learn not only about Bouchardon’s artistic style, but also about the methods used in the manufacture of the sculptures and coins.
HL: From the curatorial intern’s point of view, I learned so much by watching and listening to the curators make decisions on all the details of the exhibition. They were so careful and meticulous in determining how artworks should be displayed and how they fit into the exhibition as a whole, keeping in mind that the manner of display not only can affect the experience of viewing the works, but also communicate ideas about Bouchardon’s life, his works, and what they might have meant in his time. It was an extraordinary privilege to work so closely with them.
CV: From the registrar’s side, it was really interesting to see how all of the parts come together. We work for months organizing, talking to lending institutions, updating the database, and planning the shipping and couriers. It is really great to see it all come together. To see the crates actually arrive and get unpacked, and meet people you may have been communicating with for months via email or phone. I think one of my favorite parts of this experience was speaking with the curators, conservators, and couriers from visiting institutions.
MC: Absolutely, I loved talking to the couriers—many of whom were conservators! I learned so much about the objects, their treatment history, and conservation practices in Europe.
HL: Watching the Getty curators and couriers from other institutions work together made me realize how much of a collaborative process it is to plan and install shows. Personally, I have to say my favorite moments were opening the crates with artworks. When they unpacked the crate for the Sleeping Faun, it really looked as if he had been sleeping in the dark crate, and we were bringing him outside to wake him up! It was so interesting to see artworks in motion because I’m used to seeing artworks as stationary objects on the walls or pedestals of museum galleries.
CV: I really enjoyed that too. It was so fun to see each new piece opened. We see photographic images of these pieces for months beforehand, but nothing beats seeing the actual piece once it arrives. I also enjoyed seeing how the exhibition changed during the install. It was really interesting to listen to the curators discuss moving objects around the galleries, and why they prefer one object in a certain location over another.
MC: A lot of my best moments involved talking to people about the art-historical aspects of the exhibition. My favorite part of the show is actually something I learned from Anne-Lise Desmas. At one point when we were installing Louis XV’s hand (fun fact: it weighs 70 pounds!), she pointed out to me that there is an image of the destruction of the sculpture within one of the didactic panels, and that image actually shows the hand separated from the rest of the sculpture. I don’t think it is mentioned anywhere in the text, so you don’t notice the hand unless you know what to look for—it is a bit of an Easter egg!
CV: I loved that as well! It was so fun to actually see that, and I will definitely point that out to any friends or family I bring to see the exhibition.
HL: I’m looking forward to bringing my friends here. Any final thoughts?
MC: I would just like to give a shout-out to the mountmaking and preps teams—they are responsible for some of the hardest parts of this whole process and manage to achieve some incredible feats of engineering.
HL: They are true magicians. What would we do without them? I would like to thank the two curators, Anne-Lise and Edouard Kopp, for sharing their expertise and enthusiasm with us and the exhibition designer, Robert Checchi, for bringing their brilliant vision to life in such a beautiful and effective presentation.
CV: Agreed. And the registrars! Registrars work so hard, and not many people know what they do! These exhibitions would not happen without the help of everyone on all of these teams. It is amazing to see it all come together.