Version Control: Mark Rothko’s Harvard Murals through the Lens of the Documentation Model for Time-Based Media Art

ABSTRACT

Long shrouded by a history of material change, Mark Rothko’s Harvard Murals are reassessed as a work of installation art, using the logic of the documentation model for time-based media art developed and published by Joanna Phillips in 2015. The documentation model and its theoretical framework aid in clarifying both the core identity of the work and its viability for future iterations. By applying the documentation model’s logic to this set of paintings, the model’s broad applicability is demonstrated.

RÉSUMÉ

Longtemps voilées par un historique de changements matériels, les Harvard Murals de Mark Rothko sont réévaluées en tant qu'installation artistique, en utilisant la logique du modèle de documentation des œuvres temporelles (time-based media) développé et publié par Joanna Phillips en 2015. Le modèle de documentation et sa structure théorique aident à clarifier l'identité profonde de l'œuvre ainsi que la viabilité de futures itérations. En appliquant la logique du modèle de documentation à cette série de tableaux, la large applicabilité du modèle est démontrée. Traduit par Mireille Brulotte.

RESUMO

Há muito envolto em uma história de mudança material, os murais de Harvard de Mark Rothko são reavaliados como uma obra de arte de instalação, usando a lógica do modelo de documentação para arte de mídia baseada no tempo desenvolvido e publicado por Joanna Phillips em 2015. O modelo de documentação e seu arcabouço teórico ajudam a esclarecer tanto a identidade central do trabalho quanto sua viabilidade para iterações futuras. Ao aplicar a lógica do modelo de documentação a este conjunto de pinturas, a ampla aplicabilidade do modelo é demonstrada. Traduzido por Andre Maragno.

RESUMEN

Ocultos durante mucho tiempo por una historia de cambio material, los murales de Harvard de Mark Rothko se reevalúan como una obra de arte de instalación, utilizando la lógica del modelo de documentación para TBM* desarrollado y publicado por Joanna Phillips en 2015. El modelo de documentación y su marco teórico ayuda a aclarar tanto la identidad central del trabajo como su viabilidad para futuras iteraciones. Al aplicar la lógica del modelo de documentación a este conjunto de pinturas, se demuestra la amplia aplicabilidad del modelo. *TBM (Time Based Media en inglés − el arte de nuevos medios que contengan elementos de duración en el tiempo). Traducción: Amparo Rueda.

KEYWORDS:

• Installation art
• time-based media conservation
• iteration
• iteration report
• identity
• identity report
• documentation
• variability

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the scientists, conservators, and curators behind the 2014 presentation of the Harvard Murals, particularly Jens Stenger, Carol Mancusi-Ungaro, Narayan Khandekar, and the show’s curator, Mary Schneider-Enriquez. Their bold and creative presentation of the Harvard Murals not only allowed us to imagine what was long lost, but also opened the door to new ways of considering the suite of paintings and other artworks with a tendency to change. Stenger’s thoughtful openness to questions large and small was especially encouraging. The author would also like to thank Johanna Phillips for giving structure to a new way of thinking about art; Francesca Esmay and Jeffrey Weiss for early and illuminating conversations; Amy Brost and a generous community of time-based media conservators for modeling collegial exchange and collaboration in the conservation field; Matt Saunders and Martha Buskirk for their interest in continuing this conversation and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study for their generous support of our seminar proposal, which arose from those conversations; the JAIC associate editor and peer reviewers for their time and clarifying contributions; Kate Smith, as always, for her thoughtful edits; and every past custodian of the Harvard Murals – especially Betty Jones, Jerry Cohn, and Teri Hensick – for their devotion to this important work of art.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ellen Davis

Ellen Davis is the assistant conservator of paintings for the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at the Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, MA. She received her MA with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College in 2015. Address: Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Email: [email protected].