Basic data of the

work of art

Technique / description * Conservation / installation Balka´s intervention

Good God

1990

Varied measures

Cat. Nº: AC 689

Installation composed by the following items:

- A table made of very old / rough wood and

white cement on top.

(fig. 1)

- An old electric pillow that lies over the table

- A small piece of wood placed on the floor

with ashes (fig.2)

- A long piece of wood to be hang on the

wall, with some fir leaves over and some

more in the floor (fig. 3)

- Follow the hand-written installation

instructions by the author.

- The manipulation of the table has to be

very careful since the upper cement part is

too heavy for the wood structure, avoid to

put the table upside down.

- The fir leaves and the ashes tend to

disappear during the exhibition periods,

due to some visitors steeping on them, or

the cleaning staff. It's not so easy for a

visitor to distinguish such subtle elements

on some types of floors.

-See installation / description photos and

video

-Dec. 1998

Loan to Fundaçao Serralves (Portugal).

Balka installed the piece in different ways as it

should be in regular exhibitions. After the return

of Portugal's loan, 90% of the fir leaves had

disappeared. We have contacted Balka through

his London Gallery and he decided to send us

more fir leaves. We have now, enough for

replacement.

..........................................................................

- May 2000

Loan to Galleria d´Arte Moderna Bologna

(Italy).

Balka installed the piece himself. By the end of

the exhibition some of the fir leaves used for the

installation are missing.

250 x 175 x 136.2

x (0 10 x 12). 3 x

(0 7, 5 x 11)

1997

Varied measures

Cat. Nº: AC 690

Installation composed by the following items:

-A rusty iron support

-An old wood panel, framed with iron, to be

screwed (3 screws) over the iron support

(fig.4 /Balka on the left side)

-5 old small tins, lined with a very degraded

linoleum

- Follow the hand written installation

instructions by the author.

- Balka has been notified that, upon arrival

to FLC, one of the 3 screws is in a bad

condition.

-See installation / description photos

-Dec. 98

Loan to Fundaçao Serralves (Portugal):

Balka installed the piece in different ways, as it

should be in regular exhibitions. There are more

screws added for replacement.

Condition and presentation problems with Balka’s works in Fundació La Caixa

Notes on the intervention by the artist

* Kröller-Müller Museum. Otterlo

* TATE, London

* Fundació La Caixa, Barcelona

* MUMOK, Vienna

* SMAK, Ghent

* Academy of Fine Art, Warsaw

* Miroslav Balka (photo rachive, documentation)

Expertise and documentation

The works of Miroslav Balka (…) are identified by the precise manipulation of elemental forms, measurements that are in tune with human dimensions, as well as by the delicate employment of carefully selected materials. Balka allows his materials to „ articulate“ themselves insofar as he emphasizes their physical properties, by raising the reverberations of their aesthetic appeal, and also in employing them to convey meaning. The artist works exclusively with found objects in particular waste-products,i.e. objects which are loaded wih traces and as such, in themselves, contribute a narrative.

Comments by an art historian/curator Museum Moderner Kunst, Vienna

Quote from an interview with Miroslav Balka about "1120 x 875 x 2”:

“Can you imagine that a few curators bought 100 kg of typical Polish soap, they cut it and nobody mentioned that it didn't smell. As a matter of fact the essence, the heart of that work is its scent. It doesn't matter that it is smeared over the surface. It is about the dissemination of the scent.Nobody noticed the fact that it didn't smell suitable. If I hadn't come, have a look at it (there was no scent at all over there) they probably would have put it on the floor in that form. The meaning of the work would have been completely destroyed.”

Preservation and Re-installation of works by Miroslav Balka - The use of INCCA as a virtual knowledge and information network

MATERIALS: Preservation

Physical components of the installation, e.g. components of ‘tent’

Reserve collection of construction elements, e.g. nails, screws

Reserve collection of ephemeral materials, e.g. pine-needles, ash

Museum Storage Room

Conservation Studio

Conservation studio

Publications, Literature

Conservation reports

Photographs

Construction ?

Documentation centre

Ephemeral materials ?

Information ?

geen beeldmateriaalgeen beeldmateriaal

Zie dia tabel, er is een collectie schroeven in Fundacio La Caixa

Zie dia tabel, er is een collectie schroeven in Fundacio La Caixa

dia van dennenaalden op hout

dia van as op de vloer

opmerking: “The needles and ashes tend to disappear during the exhibition periods, due to visitors steeping on them, or the cleaning staff”. Zie dia tabel, er is een collectie dennenaalden in Fundació La Caixa

dia van dennenaalden op hout

dia van as op de vloer

opmerking: “The needles and ashes tend to disappear during the exhibition periods, due to visitors steeping on them, or the cleaning staff”. Zie dia tabel, er is een collectie dennenaalden in Fundació La Caixa

dia van Tent ‘Untitled’dia van Tent ‘Untitled’

NON-TANGIBLE ASPECTS: Re-installation

Position, DimensionsMuseum Exhibition Space

Conveyance of Meaning ?

TATE, Kroller Muller Museum, Fundació La Caixa, MUMOK, SMAK, Academy of Fine Arts Warsaw

Conservation Studio - Documentation Centre

Installation reports

Curatorial comments

Video registration of an exhibition

The Artist’s StudioInterview with the artist

Instruction drawings by the artist

Smell

Chemical analysis

Interview with the artist

Laboratory

Network of professionals

Tacit knowledge Tacit knowledge

INCCA network, vastgelegd in Agent record

INCCA network, vastgelegd in Agent record

INCCA Artists Archives: record video registration of an exhibition

dia curatorial comments

INCCA Artists Archives: record video registration of an exhibition

dia curatorial comments

dia instruction drawingdia instruction drawing

dia quotes from an interview

dia kunstenaar met stuk zeep

dia quotes from an interview

dia kunstenaar met stuk zeep

Formule? Geen diaFormule? Geen dia

dia van geinstalleerd werk met zeep

dia van geinstalleerd werk met zeep