behind the scenes

Throughout the warehouse-like interior of the IU art museum, sculpted faces peer out of the darkness, waiting for their turn to be exhibited. \nThe museum's three galleries, each devoted to different parts of the world, display the important works of IU's art collection, such as a 1934 Picasso, "The Studio," year round. Museum officials also rotate the exhibits of lesser-known works, attempting to ensure that every work in the collection is displayed now and then. \nBut most of the labor that goes into storing and maintaining the collection is invisible to students touring the galleries. Behind the locked doors of the museum's storage space, a host of staff members work to keep IU's artworks safe, easy to locate and looking their very best. \n"Basically our collection goes back to the beginning of the fine arts department," said Nan Brewer, one of the galleries' curators. "The early material was really for teaching purposes … a lot of teaching was actually drawing from it."\nIU began accumulating artwork intending only to store it for students' use. Brewer said that while some of the artwork IU purchased at this time was of museum quality, many of the pieces were not.\nWhen Herman B Wells became president of IU in 1937, he saw enough potential in the Department of Fine Arts and the tiny art collection that existed at the time to organize an expansion. His goal was to put IU on par with Ivy League schools that housed more extensive art collections.\n"Herman said 'we're going to be the Ivy of the Midwest,'" said Linda Baden, the gallery's Associate Director for Editorial Services.\nWells needed two things to jump-start his project: someone to help him bring important works of art to IU and a place to put them once they got here. He found the former in Henry Hope, who had previously studied with Paul Sachs at the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University. Wells appointed Hope as chair of IU's Department of Fine Arts in 1941, and Hope immediately began to collaborate with Wells on plans to expand the University's art collection. By 1962, Wells had also succeeded in his dream to build an art museum to house the new works.\n"(Wells) convinced the powers that be that it was important … to have a building that was an artwork in its own right," Brewer said.\nThe result of his determination was an imposing new addition to the campus, designed by the renowned architectural firm of I.M. Pei and Partners. The museum has almost 9,000 square feet of storage space and a similar amount in the galleries. It currently houses all of the works in IU's art collection.\nWith adequate facilities to care for and display its treasures, the IU art collection expanded rapidly. The museum now has a little of everything -- from ancient Greek and Roman pottery to installations by major artists of the 20th century.\n"We are encyclopedic," Brewer said. "It means that we're trying to cover all major geographic areas; all major movements."\nAccording to Brewer, Wells wanted students to have examples on hand of every major style and period in order to complement their studies of those eras. \n"It was really farsighted," she said. "(Wells) could have said 'We're only going to focus in a certain area,' (but he didn't)." \nApparently for space's sake it is easy to store similar items, such as the sculpted faces, together. Although this makes sense considering the vast size of the collection, it never quite relieves the eerie feeling of dozens of metallic eyes peering out from dark corners of storage rooms. \n"We used to have a guard that would not (patrol) … the African collection," Baden said, laughing. "There were too many spirits in there." \nMany of the major artworks are stacked three rows deep against the walls as though they were items of furniture in a wholesale emporium. With 30,000 total works in the collection and room to exhibit barely half that number, more than half of the museum's collection remains in storage for at least part of each year. \nWorks are arranged in the storage rooms by size. Any corner or bit of unused floor space is utilized. Paintings are hung on compressible storage racks that roll back to create aisles at the touch of a button. The ceramics are housed on the second floor in metal storage units with Styrofoam cutouts that surround each piece of pottery. The art gallery staff has been working to secure these in case of earthquakes.\n"Indiana is on an earthquake fault," Baden said. "We haven't had anything major, but the potential is there."\nSo far the gallery's precautions have been fairly rudimentary. For example, they have tying the storage units to one another, thereby making them sturdier.\n"When things are on display we (also) have weights in the bases," Baden said.\nIn addition to storing IU's art collection, the museum houses several departments that maintain the exhibits. \nIn the photography lab, pictures are taken of each new piece for documentary records.\n"Everything that's in the museum has to be photographed, at least for identification purposes," said Michael Cavanagh, the Art Museum's head photographer. "My favorite part is when you (work with) … an ancient piece... and you get to be alone with it in the studio."\nIn addition to documenting works for the museum's records, photographers occasionally take photos of a piece, or furnish photos for calendars or postcards of the museum's artworks. \nConservationists in the restoration workshop are responsible for repairing any blemishes that have marred the paintings and reapplying chipping paint. \nTheir workshop is a large open area with a high ceiling and wooden tables scattered around. Lying on the tables are damaged paintings with tiny pieces of white foam. A conservation technician for the art gallery explained that the foam markers indicate where pieces of paint have chipped off the artwork.\n"The big thing is that anything they do has to be reversible," Baden added.\nAlso included in the gallery's collection are works by Monet, Jackson Pollock and Picasso.\n"The Picasso is the most important painting in our collection," Baden said.\nBrewer said that the work by Picasso is much in demand among other museums.\n"(It's) highly requested for loan, although we don't often lend it," Brewer said, explaining that there is considerable wear and tear involved in shipping a painting.\nEqually interesting are some of the lesser known works. One 1971 installation by Claire Zeisler features metal slinkies suspended from the ceiling and partially wrapped in red cotton/polyester thread. From across the room they resemble brilliant red stalagmites.\nAnother interesting work, a 1912 painting by Emil Nolde entitled "Nudes and Eunuch", played a historical role during the World War II era.\n"It was in (a) famous show that the Nazi's put on (around) 1930 mocking contemporary art," Baden said. She said that it was the poster piece for the show, and as such has received a lot of attention.\nOne of the gallery's especially controversial pieces is a signed urinal that was one of several 'Duchamp readymades' -- pieces employed by the artist to question the concept of what art really is. \n"To really push that point you take a urinal, put it in a gallery, and sign your name to it," Brewer said. "It still generates controversy even (though it's) from 1970."\nBaden laughingly recalled the time one of the workers setting up a contemporary art show, named Estol, decided to create his own 'readymade' piece for exhibition.\n"Years ago … we had a show of contemporary art," she said. "Our shop guys thought it was funny that they could make art as good as anything that was up there."\nThe result? Estol's lunch bag, a crumpled piece of brown packaging, complete with mock label and signature by the 'artist'. After the hilarity subsided, gallery staff members removed Estol's creation from the show.\nBesides the full-time staff members, several fine arts students also work at the gallery. \n"They basically pay my tuition," said Kristen Moses, a graduate Art History student whose full scholarship requires her to assist at the museum. "It's always nice (as) an art history major to be here in the museum … (and) to see all that is involved." \nFor other IU students eager to see the gallery's collection, there are several options. The exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. It is also easy to schedule a guided tour led by one of the gallery's volunteer tour guides. For more information, call 855-1045.\n -- Contact staff writer Elise Baker at elimbake@indiana.edu.