THE PAGEANT OF THE PACIFIC MURALS

THE PAGEANT OF THE PACIFIC MURALS

November 22, 1904 February 4, 1957 Contemporary of Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and other prominent Mexican artists of the era Early success as an illustrator and caricaturist for The New Yorker and Vanity Fair Continued success as a painter and muralist in Mexico and internationally Additional areas of professional focus included cartography, ethnology, anthropology, iconology, and dance MIGUEL COVARRUBIAS

Covarrubias accepted a commission by the Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) to create a set of maps of the Pacific Region which were then displayed at the GGIE s Pacific House Six maps created in total Native Dwellings 9 ft x 13 ft 4 panels Transportation 9 ft x 13 ft 4 panels Peoples 16 ft x 24 ft 12 panels Economy 16 ft x 24 ft 12 panels Fauna and Flora 16 ft x 24 ft 12 panels Native Art 16 ft x 24 ft 12 panels GOLDEN GATE INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION

I decided that I should like to have not simply a capable artist who would cover so many square feet of wall surface competently but a colleague who would enjoy thinking out the central problem of representing the cultural contributions of Pacific people to contemporary life and who would help me formulate the common interests which bind together people who share the Pacific. - Philip Younz, GGIE Executive Director, in July 8, 1938 letter to Covarrubias soliciting his participation in the project. GOLDEN GATE INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION

NATIVE DWELLINGS OF THE PACIFIC AREA

NATIVE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION OF THE PACIFIC AREA

THE FAUNA AND FLORA OF THE PACIFIC

PEOPLES OF THE PACIFIC

ECONOMY OF THE PACIFIC

ART FORMS OF THE PACIFIC AREA

1941 - Loaned to the American Museum of Natural History - New York (MNH) by Pacific House 1941-1953 -Exhibited at MNH 1953 Removed from exhibition and placed in MNH storage 1959 - Returned to San Francisco after a failed attempt by Pacific House to gift the murals to MNH (returned without the Art Forms of the Pacific mural) 1959 - Port of San Francisco accepted the remaining 5 murals directly from the Pacific House 1959 2001 Mural set exhibited at the World Trade Center, Ferry Building in San Francisco AFTER THE GGIE

The mural Art Forms of the Pacific (12 panels, 16 ft x 24 ft) was not in the set when the murals returned to San Francisco from New York.??? Only five murals received and installed at the Ferry Building. No evidence or information on the disposition of this mural, including how or when it was separated from the remainder of the set, is immediately available. THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MURAL

2001 Ferry Building renovations removed the space where murals were installed, no new space on the property available for re-installation. March 29, 2001 - TIDA Board of Directors approves Transfer Agreement with Port of San Francisco. Jurisdiction over the murals transferred from the Port to TIDA. Transfer assured eventual re-display the murals by a public entity for the public s benefit, as Port would be unable to re-install works on Port property. Late 2001 - Mural panels wrapped, packed and transported to TIDA storage facility on Treasure Island. TRANSFER TO TIDA

2004 - Consulate General of Mexico and Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) approached TIDA with proposal for loan of murals to Mexican Government Proposal: Government of Mexico will perform necessary conservation and restoration to murals In exchange TIDA will loan Murals to Mexico for purpose of temporary public exhibitions after conservation and restoration work complete. Costs for conservation, restoration, shipping, insurance, and display of the murals paid by: Charles D and Frances K Field Fund grant facilitated by FAMSF Mexican Government Loan Agreement between TIDA and Government of Mexico approved by TIDA Board on May 11, 2005 LOAN TO MEXICO

Conservation and restoration work was performed in Mexico City by the Centro Nacional de Conservacion y Registro del Patrimonio Artistico (CENCREPAN). Supervision on behalf of TIDA provided by FAMSF s Head Paintings Conservator. Conservation and restoration work included cleaning of accumulated dirt and grime including food stains, cigarette smoke stains and human-induced damage, as well as necessary minor touch-up work on certain panels. Inherent importance in restoration work performed in Mexico by Mexican technicians, considering Covarrubias standing in Mexico. RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION IN MEXICO

Government of Mexico sponsored four major exhibits of the Murals in Mexico between 2006 and 2008 Antiguo Collegio de San Ildefonso (Old College of San Ildefonso) Mexico City Museo Amparo (Amparo Museum) Puebla Museo Nacional de Anthropologia y Historia (National Museum of Anthropology and History) Mexico City UNESCO FORUM 2007 - Monterrey DISPLAY IN MEXICO

Antiguo Collegio de San Ildefonso (Old College of San Ildefonso) Mexico City

Museo Amparo (Amparo Museum) Puebla

Museo Nacional de Anthropologia y Historia (National Museum of Anthropology and History) Mexico City

2008 - Upon completion of Mexican exhibitions, FAMSF requested a Temporary Loan of Fauna and Flora of the Pacific Mural for exhibition in the Americas Wing at the DeYoung Museum. TIDA and FAMSF entered into an ongoing Loan Agreement for exhibition and display of the Mural. The mural has been on exhibition since 2008, Loan Agreement extended annually by the TIDA Board. LOAN AND EXHIBITION AT DEYOUNG MUSEUM

The loan and display of the Murals in Mexico generated new interest in the works. TIDA negotiated and entered into Loan Agreements for additional temporary exhibits of the murals: 2009-2010 exhibition of one mural at National Building Museum, Washington DC 2010-2011 exhibition of three murals at San Jose, CA City Hall by History San Jose/Mexican Heritage Corp. 2011 2012 exhibition of one mural at California African American Museum Los Angeles, CA ADDITIONAL LOANS AND EXHIBITIONS

Remaining four murals currently stored by TIDA-contracted art handler at off-site, secured facility. TIDA maintains Condition Report books for all murals, notating all conservation and restoration work conducted to-date, as well as any damage noted at times of installations and deinstallations during previous temporary loans. Between 2016 and 2017, TIDA contracted for Condition Report high-resolution photography of each panel front and back. PRESENT AND FUTURE OF MURALS

Prior exhibitions inform TIDA s ongoing consideration of appropriate location(s) for long-term on-island display of murals. Basic conditions vital to an appropriate display environment should be consistent with standard museum practices and include: Temperature of 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit (20-23 C.) +/- 10 degrees Relative Humidity (R.H) of 50% +/- 5% R.H. Lighting not to exceed 5-15 foot candles (50-150 LUX) No direct exposure to natural light or ultra-violet light of any kind Display inside vitrines or behind a protective barrier such as a bar stanchion to prevent visitors from touching Installation by appropriate art-handling/arts services firm or agency PRESENT AND FUTURE OF MURALS

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