Tadek Beutlich’s Dream Revealed (1962) is a striking, unconventional modern tapestry—an experimental fusion of free and structured weaving. However, when it arrived at the studio in October 2024 for conservation ahead of a major exhibition at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, it was in a dire state. Years of insect activity, material fragility, and inappropriate storage prior to its acquisition had left the piece structurally compromised. Frass and broken fibres fell from it in alarming amounts, and large holes in the weave rendered one panel almost too fragile to handle. From the outset, we faced a significant challenge: how to stabilise this inherently weak textile while respecting Beutlich’s original artistic vision and ensuring its safe display.
Beutlich (1922–2011) was a weaver, printmaker, and sculptor known for pushing the boundaries of textile art. Born in Poland, he studied at Camberwell School of Art and became connected to the influential weaving traditions of Ditchling through his teacher Ethel Mairet. Dream Revealed was woven at Gospels, Mairet’s former home and studio, in the early 1960s, at a pivotal moment in Beutlich’s career when he was transitioning towards large-scale, experimental works and briefly managed Gospels.
His materials were as unconventional as his approach. The tapestry consists of a widely spaced dark brown wool warp, with a heavy, mixed-fibre weft incorporating wool, cotton, sisal, and possibly unprocessed linen. He often dipped yarn ends in adhesives to create stiff, protruding textures—details that add to the tapestry’s striking aesthetic but now contribute to its fragility.
Conservation Challenges
The tapestry suffered from inherent vice—a term conservators use to describe artworks doomed by the very materials and techniques they are made from. Beutlich’s loosely twisted, widely spaced warp was never strong enough to support the heavy, unevenly weighted weft long term. The dark brown dye of the warp may have also contributed to the weakness. Over time, natural fibre deterioration and pest damage caused the structure to break down. The worst-affected panel had multiple large holes, loose trailing bundles of fibres, and warps so weak they could barely hold the piece together. The artwork had also become distorted from being rolled around itself unsupported during storage, crushing its three-dimensional elements. (It had spent some years in a barn prior to acquisition by the museum).
With limited time and budget before the exhibition opening in mid-January 2025, we had to devise a solution that stabilised the tapestry for display while allowing for future conservation of the tapestry as it will invevitably deteriorate more with time.
The Conservation Process
We began by freezing the tapestry at -30°C for ten days to eradicate any remaining insect activity. Then, over many days, we conducted a meticulous surface clean, using gentle vibration and controlled vacuum suction to remove as much dust, frass, and broken fibre as possible.
Choosing a support method took careful thought. The tapestry was too fragile to be worked on a frame as it couldn’t be tensioned and was too distorted to be evenly rolled, and it was too thick to be worked on lying flat on a table. We decided on a full linen support, stitched in place using widely spaced, vertical staggered fixing lines worked in polyester thread. This approach allowed us to secure broken weft areas while ensuring the tapestry could still move naturally without pulling or distortion. Working with the tapestry suspended, pairs of conservators worked together, positioned on either side of the suspended tapestry, passing the needle and thread back and forth. This technique proved both quick and effective in stabilising the panels while preserving Beutlich’s sculptural textures.
Beutlich’s original hanging mechanism involved tying pairs of warp ends together to create loops through which a dowel was inserted. For hanging, we replaced the damaged original dowels with hidden wooden battens attached out of sight to the top edge of the tapestry panels via Velcro—a method that provides strong, even support without placing further stress on the weak warps. Dummy dowels were inserted through the warp loops to give the impression of the original hanging mechanism but taking no weight.
Triumph at Ditchling
By early January, Dream Revealed had emerged from its chaotic state, restored and ready for exhibition. On Monday, 13 January, we installed the tapestry at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, where it joined a stunning collection of Beutlich’s works, including other tapestries and textile works, prints, sculptures, and drawings.
Seeing the tapestry hanging safely was a huge relief, and attending the private view was a moment of pride. Those who followed our journey on social media in December and January would have seen the transformation—what started as a dust-laden, fragile mess had become a celebration of Beutlich’s artistry, given new life through its conservation.
A Legacy Preserved
This project was made possible by the generous support of The Pilgrim Trust and other donors, funding the 200+ hours of conservation work required. Their investment has safeguarded an important piece of Beutlich’s legacy in the village where it was woven —one that tells a story not only of artistic innovation but of the fragility and resilience of textiles over time.
There’s still time to discover the work of Tadek Beutlich: On and Off the Loom at Ditchling Museum from 18 January – 22nd June 2025
Zenzie will also be giving a talk about the conservation of Dream Revealed at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft on Saturday 8 June. Visit the museum website for more information and to buy tickets.