1942 Work 'New York City 1' ... Pompidou Center's 'New York City' Displayed in Opposite Direction
Museum Curator Discovers Error During Exhibition Planning ... Artwork at Risk of Damage if Displayed As Is
On the 28th (local time), Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian's (1872?1944) 1942 work "New York City 1" is exhibited at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in D?sseldorf, Germany. Photo by Reuters
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A Dutch abstract painter Piet Mondrian (1872?1944) has had one of his works displayed upside down for over 75 years across various galleries, according to a museum curator's claim.
The controversial piece is Mondrian's 1942 work titled 'New York City 1.' Mondrian, who sought to express geometric beauty using only straight lines and primary colors, completed this work by creating an irregular checkerboard pattern with red, blue, yellow, and black adhesive tape.
This artwork was first exhibited in 1945 at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, USA, and was later moved to the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (K20) in D?sseldorf, Germany, in 1980, where it has been displayed since.
However, according to the British BBC, Susan Meyer-B?ser, a curator at the K20 museum in D?sseldorf, claimed that the piece has been exhibited upside down since its first display.
One basis for this claim is that a similar patterned 'New York City' displayed at the Pompidou Center in Paris, France, is exhibited in the opposite orientation.
Another piece of evidence is a photograph taken by a Dutch studio that visited Mondrian’s atelier a few days after he passed away from pneumonia in February 1944. In this photo, the artwork is shown placed upside down on the artist’s wooden easel.
According to BBC, Meyer-B?ser discovered this error while reviewing various materials during the planning of an exhibition including this work earlier this year.
However, some have argued that photographs from when the piece was first exhibited at MoMA 75 years ago show it displayed upside down as it is now. In response, Meyer-B?ser told the media, "It seems it was flipped while unpacking."
Despite discovering the error, Meyer-B?ser stated plans to continue exhibiting the work in its current orientation, citing the risk of damage if the piece’s direction is changed. She explained, "The adhesive tape is already hanging loosely, so if it is flipped upside down now, gravity could cause it to fall off. Now, even that has become part of the artwork."
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