Dali Artwork for Disney Loaned to Exhibit

Monday, September 20th 2004, 9:57 am

By: News On 6

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) _ Roy Disney said he had heard the myths at Walt Disney Co. for a long time _ that Salvador Dali's artworks from a long-forgotten project were somewhere in the studio's archives. It turned out not to be a myth.

The surrealist master had worked with Disney's uncle, Walt Disney, from 1945-46, producing seven paintings and hundreds of ink drawings for an animated film that never got made, Disney said.

The artwork _ which Disney valued at $5 million to $10 million _ sat in the studio unseen by the public for 58 years. That is, until now.

Disney said the company loaned about a dozen Dali pieces to a traveling exhibit in Europe, one of several celebrating the 100th anniversary of Dali's birth on May 11, 1904. Dali died in 1989.

``It is truly the only Dali stuff in the world that was never seen up until this year,'' Disney said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Disney, 74, nephew of Walt Disney, spoke of his discovery while in Albuquerque, where he attended a gala opening of the Roy E. Disney Center for Performing Arts at the National Hispanic Cultural Center over the weekend.

On Sunday, Disney attended a showing of the animated short film ``Destino'' at one of three new theaters in the complex. The film was the product of the artwork Dali completed at the Disney studios over nine months. The film was nominated for an Academy Award this spring.