Behind the Scenes: Preparing the Sculpture Exhibition
Every major exhibition begins months before the doors open to the public. For “The Essence of Modern Sculpture,” the journey started over two years ago with initial conversations between our curatorial team and lenders across three continents.
In this behind-the-scenes feature, we take you through the extraordinary process of bringing 120 sculptural works together under one roof – from delicate negotiations with international museums to the engineering challenges of installing a 4-ton steel piece in our Main Hall.
The Logistics of Art
Transporting sculpture is fundamentally different from moving paintings. Each work requires custom crating, specialized vehicles, and precise environmental controls. Our registrar, Ana Torres, coordinated 47 individual shipments from 12 countries.
“The most challenging piece was Chillida’s steel composition. It required a custom-built transport frame and a team of six riggers working over three days to position it perfectly in the gallery.”
– Ana Torres, Chief Registrar
Conservation and Care
Before any work goes on display, our conservation team conducts thorough condition assessments. For this exhibition, conservators spent over 200 hours examining, treating, and preparing works for display.
What Goes Into an Exhibition
- 24 months of planning and research
- 47 individual artwork shipments
- 12 countries represented
- 200+ hours of conservation work
- 6 gallery spaces transformed
- 35 custom display mounts fabricated
The result is an exhibition that feels effortless to experience – but behind every carefully lit gallery and perfectly positioned sculpture lies an extraordinary feat of coordination, expertise, and passion for art.