From the outset, there was a lot to consider for this show. Start for example with the fact that we don’t usually put artwork on the museum’s floor (well, unless it is a floor, like Do-Ho Suh’s, then we do). And I don’t think we’ve ever exhibited any contemporary art in the dining room of the Lilly House. Adrian installed one of his paintings right next to the dinning room table. Taking inspiration from the Kalm Report I made this video to show you how to find it (mind you, I had the artist’s permission to do this).

Museums tend to hang artworks on walls or put them on pedestals or risers, so this show required some extra thought and a lot of trust that you, the IMA patron, wouldn’t just go and walk all over the panels and do serious damage. Thanks, by the way, for not doing that; I would know, too, because I’m the guy that goes around every week or so to dust and look after these pieces. (On a side note, I do know that people occasionally like to cough and sneeze when standing over Adrian’s paintings; I’ll let you put the rest of that puzzle together, but rest assured I gently remove this “residue”).

It would be simplistic to say that Adrian just came here and put his paintings in the galleries, had an engaging conversation with Claire Schneider, and then left. No, he too had to work pretty hard to precisely install each one of his panels into the specific locations.

If you haven’t done so already, you should go through the exhibition with the free audio tour and hear the discussion about the decisions that came into play during each installation location; or check out Rebecca’s on-line essay; or better yet buy the IMA exhibition catalogue, “Elusive,” in the gift shop, which through some irony I don’t really understand is also available at Wal*Mart.com. Also, Scott Grow over at onthecusp.org completed an in-depth interview with Adrian.

In addition to making sure we got the works installed in a way that fit Adrian’s ideas, we also took the time to consider the long-term preservation concerns related to these pieces, in the event the IMA were to make an acquisition (you never know).

Here are a few of the larger concepts that we discussed with Adrian, and then later recorded by video in an “Artist Interview,” which will be stored in the IMA’s historical files. First, though, it helps if you play out this scenario: It’s 100 years from now and nobody is around that was here during this installation (sure, it’s a bit morbid, but it helps). So,

• How would we successfully re-install these artworks “correctly”?
• Who would be making the decisions about their installation and positioning?
• Which ones could be leaned against a wall, and which ones must remain flat.
• Could we exhibit them at the Lilly House again?
• What happens if one gets damaged?
• How could it be repaired?

While it’s rather difficult to quantify all of the subjective decisions that went into installing these artworks, both Rebecca and I are confident that the documents that we created would help future IMA employees install these work in a way that correctly fits Adrian’s intentions.

If you want to see the Adrian Schiess before it closes, you’d better hurry. It ends on May 4, and then we’ll de-install the paintings from the gallery, pack them up, and then ship them back to Switzerland.