Archives for November 2007

Arquitectonica's Recent Wing for the Bronx Museum of the Arts Architectural criticism's big guns---Paul Goldberger (the New Yorker), Nicolai Ouroussoff (the NY Times) and James Russell (Bloomberg)---have already weighed in on the architectural strengths (the first two writers) and weaknesses (the last) of Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa/SANAA's design for the new New Museum. I … [Read more...] about The New Museum Respects the ‘Hood UPDATED

You thought maybe now that Andrew Lloyd Webber got a favorable court ruling against a Nazi-loot claim for his Picasso, he might put it up for auction, to provide funds for his foundation, as had been originally planned? Think again. According to the London Independent, Lloyd Webber will now ask the British High Court to rule on whether he has clear title to "Angel Fernández de … [Read more...] about The Continuing Legal Saga of Lloyd Webber’s Picasso

(Note: My first post on the new New Museum is here.) The first show in the new New Museum's three floors of gallery space, "Unmonumental," is only one-third installed. A motley assortment of three-dimensional objects now occupies the floors and ceilings, but on Jan. 16 the pictures go on the walls and on Feb. 13 sound art will resonate. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to this … [Read more...] about On View at the New Museum: The Scruffy Stuff

Mary Cassatt, "Françoise in Green, Sewing" The ghost of Adelyn Breeskin intervened in the St. Louis Art Museum's attempt to sell its only Cassatt, "Françoise in Green, Sewing." The painting, which Cassatt expert Breeskin had exhibited at the Baltimore Museum, failed to find a buyer today at the same Christie's auction where the Bellows' "Men of the Docks" and two other works … [Read more...] about St. Louis Art Museum’s Cassatt Unsold at Auction

Rendering (not actual photo) of the new New Museum Before I get to yet another mischievous photo essay, let's cut to the chase: New York's new New Museum, despite its larger and more elegant Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa/SANAA-designed digs (above), is still an uninstitutional institution, as envisioned by its late founder, Marcia Tucker. And that's all to the good: New … [Read more...] about The Un-Museum: Renewed New Museum Cuts to the Edge

Michael Conforti, director of the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, and president-elect of the Association of Art Museum Directors, must have too much time on his hands working on only three books during his current stint as scholar in residence at the American Academy in Rome. Along with Gianfranco Varvesi of the Italian Ministry of National Heritage and Cultural … [Read more...] about Rome Conference Discusses American-Italian Cultural Cooperation

A museum curator, who unfortunately would not allow me to quote his comments, sent me a well argued e-mail suggesting that my objections to museums' mounting single-collector exhibitions may make sense for large, prestigious museums, but are less persuasive for smaller museums that have a greater need for these shows and the possible art donations that can ensue. Similarly, the … [Read more...] about BlogBack: Honolulu Docent on Single-Collector Exhibitions

The Broadway strike is over! The NY Times has the story here. … [Read more...] about Yes! I Get to See Stoppard’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll” on Sunday!

Reading the comments by Metropolitan Museum director Philippe de Montebello in a Q&A from Richard Lacayo's Looking Around blog gave me a traumatic flashback to the unexpected curve I was thrown at the very beginning of my talk two weeks ago at Richard Leventhal's class at the University of Pennsylvania. In answering Lacayo's question about whether the Met should "have gone … [Read more...] about The “Times Change” Defense for Past Antiquities Transgressions

Although we've yet to learn what position Tennessee Attorney General Robert Cooper Jr. will take when the deal between Fisk University and Alice Walton's Crystal Bridges Museum comes up for court approval (or disapproval) on Feb. 19, the Governor himself, Phil Bredesen, has now weighed in. Erik Schelzig of the Associated Press reports [via]: Bredesen...said estimates from art … [Read more...] about Tennessee Governor Opposes Fisk-Walton Proposal

Coinciding with the Getty Museum's publication of the above book comes another "Great Moment in Greek Archaeology"---the dismissal in Greek court of the Getty-related charges against the museum's former antiquities curator, Marion True. Now that the Getty has returned the objects that Greece has sought, the judges have discovered that the statute of limitations has run. Did … [Read more...] about Greece Backs Off Getty-Related Case Against Marion True

Cylindrical Brushpot, Qianlong period (1736-1795) $7 million at Christie's (presale estimate: $1.3-1.9 million) Notwithstanding Malcolm Rogers' comments to the Boston Globe, it should be no great surprise that Alan and Simone Hartman turned around and put on the market the Chinese jades (top lot, above) that they displayed three years ago at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, … [Read more...] about Hartman Jades: From Boston Museum to $41-Million Hong Kong Auctions

The Broadway theater strike must be settled before this Sunday. That's when I have tickets to see Tom Stoppard's "Rock 'n' Roll." Meanwhile, have New York's theater critics, with only the reopened "Grinch" to review on Broadway these days, managed to discover Off Broadway's "Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz," about which I wrote favorably two months ago? The NY Post has … [Read more...] about Theatrical Musings: Broadway Strike Must End! “Celia Cruz” Must Be Reviewed!

Nicholas Penny From London's National Gallery, to Washington's National Gallery, to London's National Gallery: Nicholas Penny, one of those whom I identified in October as the two leading candidates to become next director of the National Gallery in London, has apparently won the prized assignment. Louise Jury of the London Evening Standard reports: National Gallery … [Read more...] about News Flash: Nicholas Penny to Direct National Gallery, London

Is the artworld getting increasingly litigious? While I've been focused on the saleroom, there's been so much going on in the courtroom that I need to do an international round-up of artworld legal developments: ---First and foremost, let's remember good causes during this holiday season and consider the desperate fundraising campaign of the embattled opponents to the Maier … [Read more...] about Art in Court: Maier Museum, Marion True, Getty Bronze, Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Portrait of Wally,” Robert De Niro