Extended opening hours: Every Friday and Saturday, the special exhibition Nan Goldin. This Will Not End Well is open from 10 am to 8 pm.
The surface of Alexander Calder’s monumental stabile has been completely renewed at least once in the past and has been exposed to the effects of weathering for decades. This resulted in moss, lichenification and traces of pitting in some areas, especially on and under the flange bases. Former graffiti and traces of its removal left diverse grey tones on the lower third of the sculpture. Additionally, the existing paint finish no longer offered protection from corrosion.
During the process of clearing the Neue Nationalgalerie for renovations, the sculpture had to be dismantled and put into storage. In consultation with the Calder Foundation, it was decided to remove the old layers of primer and paint from the entire surface of the sculpture, and to repaint it, using the system developed by the Foundation. In this way, corrosion protection could be renewed and the surface of the sculpture now appears uniformly matt black, corresponding to the artist’s intent.
Artwork © 2022 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Project management: Hana Streicher, Restoration department of the Neue Nationalgalerie
Duration: 2015 bis 2021