Two renowned cast bronze sculptures created by Swiss sculptor and painter Alberto Giacometti (1901-66) were moved from the courtyards surrounding Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art to the indoor section of the museum.
The two slender sculptures ‘Striding Man’ and ‘Standing Woman,’ were moved inside the museum after 40 years of exposure to the elements, ISNA reported.
To avoid further acid rains and other factors detrimental to the sculptures, they were installed inside TMoCA under the supervision of specialists from Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti (a French public utility institute).
The installment ceremony was attended by the head of TMoCA Ali-Mohammad Zare’; Oliver Wick, Swiss art historian and former curator of Beyeler Foundation in Basel, Switzerland; Hans-Peter Marty, a notable restoration expert for Giacometti’s works; and Swiss Ambassador to Iran Markus Leitner.
Sensitive Task
“It was a very sensitive task to move the statues from their original spots and bring them inside the museum, but … if they had remained where they were, they would have been damaged beyond repair,” Zare’ said.
“The Swiss expert team volunteered to help us move the statues free of charge.”
Oliver Wick has had friendly ties with TMoCA. At the ceremony, he said: “I’ve been to Tehran several times, visiting Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art each time. I had spoken with Alireza Sami-Azar (a former head of the museum) about moving the works indoors … It was time to bring them inside … because they were being damaged by weather and acid rains.”
Wick expressed gratitude for the cooperative attitude of Swiss Embassy in Iran and Ali-Mohammad Zare’. He thanked Hans-Peter Marty who cooperated with the project as chief advisor.
“He (Marty) has been working on Giacometti’s statues for over 40 years. He volunteered to accompany me to Tehran and undertake the job in collaboration with the museum’s executive team.”
Marty said in the ceremony: “Most of my career revolved around Zurich, working on the restoration of Giacometti’s works. In 1995, I started cooperation with Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art on a voluntary basis. It was in the same year that I spoke with the museum about moving the statues.
“Some minor damages have been inflicted on the two statues, but they are not so serious. Now that they are inside the museum, we need not worry about them,” Marty added.
Statues’ Significance
About the significance of Giacometti’s statues Striding Man and Standing Woman, Leitner said, “When I first came to Iran, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art was among the first places I visited. I wrote in my guidebook that the museum is a must-see, even if it is just for Giacometti’s works.”
Referring to the significance of the two statues, he fished a Swiss 100-franc banknote out of his pocket.
“As you may know, we (the Swiss) are serious about financial matters. By looking at the banknote, you can recognize the images of the two statues on it,” he said.
“Sheltering the statues inside the museum was a joy and comfort for us. TMoCA is among the few museums across the world, which has more than one Giacometti work … Giacometti lived in a small village in Switzerland but is now considered an international artist,” Leitner concluded.
