The restoration of the only non-political mural painted by David Alfaro Siqueiros completed in time for the opening at its new location in Buenos Aires during the celebration of the XX Latin American Summit in Argentina's capital. A team of 40 local experts and Mexicans worked for more than four months to regain a work that was subjected to moisture and neglect for 17 years in a warehouse on the outskirts of the port city. The mural "has withstood all kinds of aggression" and "to everyone's surprise, was only between 3 and 5 percent of damage," explained the specialist Mexican Manuel Serrano, who led the restoration project. He worked with his team in a shed built next to the Casa Rosada, the residence of the President of Argentina, who ordered his transfer to that location to be restored.
The work is titled "Plastic Exercise" and was painted by Alfaro Siqueiros 1933, while experimenting with a technique that would become the most used by the painter thereafter. The place with the help of Argentine artists Antonio Berni, Juan Carlos Castagnino and Lino Enea Spilimbergo on a farm on the outskirts of the capital of Argentina, where he gradually deteriorate until it was restored for the first time in 1962.
"Plastic Exercise" is composed of distorted figures of naked women that spread through the walls, ceiling and floor of the basement where it was painted. His goal is to create viewer is immersed in the water where they swim women.
In 1989, restaurateur Hector Mendizabal bought the farm where the wall was dismantled and display it to the public, a task that was achieved with the removal of seven panels. But lack of funds led to the bankruptcy of the company and Mendizabal faced a barrage of lawsuits filed by their former partners, who claimed ownership of the mural.
was in October 2008 when the valuable painting was moved to the gates of the presidential palace of Argentina from the outdoor car park where he remained abandoned for two decades. President Cristina Fernandez met him personally and then delivered it to the experts of the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico and Argentine universities of San Martin and National Technology, who undertook to restore it.
Professor Serrano says the recovery was complete thanks to the quality of materials used by the artist. Both the structure and the resin and were flat rebound in perfect condition, so that the material came from Mexico to work to consolidate returned intact to its origin. According to Mexican expert, "this is one of the work around" in his life "before and after."
"Plastic Exercise" was declared a national historic and artistic interest by the Argentine Government Mexico in 2003 and also considered an artistic monument of the nation, so that both countries are interested in self preservation. President Cristina Fernandez said at the opening ceremony of the new museum of the Bicentennial of Argentina, "This is a real cultural heritage for Argentina and Mexico, a labor of love and a friendship bridge between Mexicans and Argentines." Felipe Calderón, his Mexican counterpart, thanked the President Fernández de Kirchner "for having taken up this great work" during the official ceremony.
Siqueiros's mural is valued at 2.5 billion euros, according to experts but the Argentine government had to overcome a dispute over their property to the heirs of the employer who commissioned the work to its author. Authorities and descendants of Natalio Botana were unable to agree on the amount that they should be provided for the expropriation of the work of art.
Mexico's government also invested in the restoration process over 100,000 euros from the budgets of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Part Argentina has refused to disclose the amount of their contributions.
Siqueiros mural now exposed to the public on the grounds of the old customs of Buenos Aires, near the official residence President of the Republic. It can be seen in small groups, in the same way as when it was designed, although it is not underground, to prevent moisture problems. (source: arteseleccion.com)
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