Growing number of works of art
Michael Zeidler’s book “Das verlorene Bild” (The Lost Picture) is recommended for art industry employees, an invitation to reflect on the artist’s estate
The word restorer only appears once in the entire book. And yet it is definitely advisable for restorers, as for all other art industry employees, to read “Das verlorene Bild” by Frank Michael Zeidler. Zeidler, artist and artist association official, has written “[a] call to reflect on artists’ estates”, which is primarily aimed at his colleagues, the artists, but nevertheless describes very impressively the challenges that ultimately arise in the face of a lifetime of art production. It clearly shows that even if these problems are first and foremost those of the artists and their heirs, the artist’s estate ultimately affects everyone in the art world.
Estates will increasingly occupy museums, gallery owners, restorers and art historians
In times of prosperity and individualization, the number of artists and artworks is growing rapidly. Zeidler therefore rightly predicts that artists’ estates will keep museums, gallery owners, restorers and art historians increasingly busy. The artist Frank Michael Zeidler deliberately does not enter into a discussion about the necessity of increasing art production and the associated question of quality. Instead, he explains: “It is an unqualified fact that the enrichment of society through the manifold evidence of art is unchallenged (…).” And he continues: “Despite all the critical comments on the problem of artists’ estates, it is always important to point out the socially urgent necessity of art production.”
No ready-madesolutions
One would have liked the book to have been edited more tightly, as all too many of Zeidler’s thoughts, calls and tips appear several times and in variations. However, these duplications show that he is groping around in an area that is still largely untouched. Although the problem of how to appropriately and worthily house an artist’s estate for posterity is not unknown, it is new in its current dimensions.
In a museum, an artist’s estate is by no means protected from oblivion
Frank Michael Zeidler doesn’t have any ready-made solutions, but he does have many ideas worth considering. For example these: Even a well-organized estate is still a lot of work. In a museum, an estate is by no means protected from being forgotten; after all, there are fashions and constantly new valuations. Foundations are expensive. Heirs are not necessarily able to act in the interests of the artist – if they accept the inheritance at all. The public sector also only has limited options. Digitization of artworks is not a solution for an estate.
Setting the direction of interpretation
Essentially, Zeidler advocates organizing one’s own artistic work in order to give posterity the direction of interpretation that one wishes for one’s work. At the same time, however, the artist should not expect this to work. That is why serenity is the definitive and final piece of advice: “And what actually remains of us, if you look at it very closely? Sometimes just a grain of sand – and therefore a truth that we should accept with a smile and a liberating (sic!) smile.”