Preservation and Presentation of Installation Art

Elk, Ger van

The wider the flatter

1. Installation history
2. Ger van Elk, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
3. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo
4. Ger van Elk, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
5. Inside Installations, Kröller-Müller Museum
6. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

1. Installation history (May 2007)
creator(s) Sanneke Stigter (conservator/art historian)
publisher Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

Ger van Elk’s ‘The wider the flatter’ had a different appearance before it was acquired because of its site-related character. This first look lasted only two months, during the length of the exhibition in the Van Abbemuseum. Shortly hereafter the Kröller-Müller Museum bought the work and it was adapted to its new surroundings by covering the structure with new photographs related to the chosen site. 'The wider the flatter' had remained like this ever since for 35 years now, even while on loan once, exhibited outside of its site-related context.