A Painting's Journey: The History and Conservation of Paul Burlin's Murals

Join us in St. Francis Auditorium for an enlightening presentation by Bradford Epley (Head of Conservation, Museum Resources Division) in conjunction with the exhibition Paul Burlin: An American Modernist in the Southwest (on view through November 29, 2026). Topics include how Paul Burlin’s short time in New Mexico is reflected in the content of his paintings, and his involvement in the larger modernist movements in Europe and the US. See how the paintings once looked, and how they have changed and been modified over time. The most recent conservation treatment allowed them to be publicly exhibited in a way that better reflects the artist’s aesthetic intentions.

Brad Epley oversees conservation activities across New Mexico’s state museums and historic sites. Previously, he served as the Chief Conservator at the Menil Collection in Houston for 23 years. There he co-directed the Artists Documentation Program, a collaborative interview program with the Whitney Museum of American Art and Harvard Art Museums to record conversations between conservators and contemporary artists documenting the material and conceptual needs of artworks to create a “living will” for their conservation.

FREE to attend!

St. Francis Auditorium is equipped with an audio loop assisted listening device.

This program will have ASL interpretation.