The irony of the imminent arrival of a 288-page catalogue (above), presenting what its publisher, Abrams, calls “one of the most extraordinary collections of any academic institution,” is that the fate of the collection and the future of the museum itself are still greatly in doubt. Will this 204-illustration tome, with individual entries by “faculty, alumni, and distinguished art critics,” morph into a sales catalogue?
The inclusion of the Rose in Sebastian Smee‘s top-10 list of college art museums in New England (what ever happened to Yale?!?), in today’s Boston Globe, prompted me to surf to the Brandeis University museum’s homepage, now featuring a “Dear Arts Patron” letter (scroll down) from Roy Dawes, its director of operations:
To paraphrase Mark Twain, the rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.
The Rose Art Museum remains open to the public and continues to provide
exceptional exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. This summer,
the Rose’s exhibition “Numbers, Color and Text” presents works from the
permanent collection inspired by the works of painter Alfred Jensen. It
will be on view through Sept. 25….On
Oct. 28, we will reopen to the public with a dynamic exhibition of the
Rose’s most distinguished works in conjunction with the fall
publication of…a
stunning new catalogue of the collection. This exhibition will include
extraordinary art that illustrate the depth, breadth and uniqueness of
the essence of the Rose.
The “essence of the Rose” may soon putrefy, however. From the above, it sounds like the public (including students?) will not be admitted for a crucial month at the beginning of the fall semester. Is this to allow time for repurposing the Rose as “a fine arts teaching center with studio space and an exhibition gallery”?
Whatever happens, Abrams really does need to update its bio for the catalogue’s author:
Michael Rush is the Director of the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University and a widely published author and art critic.
Make that, “Deposed Director.”