Beuys's Decaying Groceries Get Conservation Show at S.M.A.K.

S.M.A.K. Museum in Ghent, Belgium, presents "Wirtschaftswerte: A Conservation History," an exhibition examining the decades-long effort to preserve Joseph Beuys's 1980 installation Wirtschaftswerte. The work, which features East German groceries on metal racks alongside 19th-century oil paintings and a plaster block, was acquired by the museum after its debut at "Art in Europe after '68" in Ghent. Perishable items began decaying immediately, prompting conservators to swap rotting contents with wood, sawdust, and polystyrene beads—with Beuys's approval as long as replacements matched the originals. The artist repaired the plaster block with butter in 1984 and wrapped shelves in chicken wire after signed packages went missing. Only 462 of roughly 510 original packets survive. Major restorations in 2011 and 2019 introduced sustainable fillings like sand and glass beads, and a decision tree guides future interventions. The plaster block continues to receive butter treatments, with conservators testing various butters for consistency. The exhibition, organized by conservators Claudia Kramer and Carla Viana, runs through September 13.