Page 309 - The Secret Museum

In 1969, it was covered over with a temporary wall so that it would not disturb

the aesthetics of an exhibition. Because the red, black, blue and grey mural with its
spirited motifs is such an impressive, timeless piece, and is in such a prominent
place, it is difficult to exhibit it without it taking over the space. The curators at the
museum prefer to have a blank canvas of white wall for their exhibitions and usually
hang the first artwork, or introductory text of each exhibition, on the temporary wall
that covers the precious mural.

Occasionally, though, it does come out of hiding. The last time was in 2003, for
the ‘From Picasso to Pollock’ exhibition. It fitted the theme of the exhibition, so the

wall in front of it was knocked down and it was displayed in all its playful, colourful
glory for several months. That was the first time it had been seen in over a decade,
and it has not appeared since.

If you go to an exhibition at this fabulous museum, imagine it there, behind the first
piece of art, or the first piece of text, twinkling behind the wall as you ascend the
Guggenheim spiral. I love the shapes, the colours, the stars and inventiveness of the
piece. I think that, even if you can’t always see it, it’s nice to know it’s there, secretly
existing behind a wall, a monument to the love her husband felt for Alicia, rendered

in colour and shaped by two friends who met long ago in Barcelona.