A new contemporary art exhibition at the Freud Museum has fallen victim to its own ambitious concept, resulting in an installation so subtle it virtually disappears among the museum's extensive collection of antiques. The exhibition, titled "Housekeeper," was designed to honor Paula Fichtl, the long-serving housekeeper of the Freud family, but has instead created what critics describe as an overly clever presentation that fails to make its mark.
Paula Fichtl dedicated her life to serving the Freud family, beginning as their live-in housekeeper in Vienna before accompanying them to London when they fled Austria on the eve of World War II. Despite her decades of loyal service and her integral role in the family's daily life, Fichtl's story has largely been overlooked by history. The Freud Museum sought to remedy this oversight by commissioning artist Cathie Pilkington to create a site-specific installation that would bring the housekeeper's narrative to light.
However, the execution has proven problematic, with the contemporary art pieces becoming almost as invisible as the housekeeper's historical presence. The installation consists of various artistic interventions scattered throughout the museum's rooms, but visitors struggle to distinguish the new additions from Freud's original collection. The challenge stems partly from the venue itself – Freud's house is densely packed with his personal collection of antiquities, creating a cluttered environment where new additions must compete for attention.
The difficulty in spotting the contemporary pieces has turned the exhibition into an unintended treasure hunt. Visitors find themselves relying heavily on the exhibition guidebook and room maps to locate Pilkington's interventions. Many of the artistic additions bear such a strong resemblance to antiques or glasswork that Freud himself might have collected that they blend seamlessly into the existing displays. This similarity, while perhaps conceptually appropriate, undermines the exhibition's ability to make a visual impact.
For contemporary art within a historic setting to succeed, experts argue that the pieces need to create a strong contrast with their surroundings to challenge visitors' preconceptions about the space. The delicate balance required for such installations demands that new works stand out sufficiently to engage viewers while remaining respectful of the historic environment. In this case, the pendulum has swung too far toward subtlety.
The one exception to this invisibility problem is a single room that has been transformed into what appears to be the artist's storehouse. This space provides the only clear indication of contemporary artistic intervention, offering visitors a more obvious focal point for the exhibition. Beyond this room, however, the installation remains frustratingly elusive.
Despite the exhibition's shortcomings as a contemporary art presentation, the Freud Museum itself remains worth visiting for its historical significance and extensive collections. The "Housekeeper" exhibition runs until February 22nd and is included in the standard museum admission price. Tickets are priced at $17.50 for standard admission, $15.00 for concessions, $11.00 for young people aged 12-16, and free for children under 12.
The exhibition serves as a reminder that ambitious artistic concepts don't always translate successfully into practice, particularly when dealing with the complex dynamics of integrating contemporary work into historically significant spaces. While the intention to honor Paula Fichtl's overlooked contribution to the Freud household is commendable, the execution has resulted in an exhibition that ironically mirrors the invisibility it sought to address.
