Last night at the Metropolitan Opera, I witnessed something that I've never seen in some 40 years of regularly attending performances there. I usually perch in the more-bang-for-the-buck Dress Circle boxes, which sometimes gives me back strain from twisting sideways but also gives me a birds-eye view of the orchestra. At the curtain call for Verdi's rarity, Attila, the members … [Read more...] about NY Phil, Met Opera: Where’s a Great Conductor When We Really Need One?
Archives for February 2010
BlogBack: Nancy Herman on the Neighbors’ Views About the Barnes
Image from the Barnes Foundation's webcam at Philadelphia construction siteNancy Herman, a neighbor of the Barnes Foundation in Merion, informs me that author John Anderson will not be speaking at tonight's Philadelphia movie premiere of "The Art of the Steal," as previously expected. She said he'll be at the Ritz 5 theater tomorrow night. (But will everyone make it in this … [Read more...] about BlogBack: Nancy Herman on the Neighbors’ Views About the Barnes
Awards Ceremony: Philippe de Montebello Gets Gold Medal in the Humanities Olympics
Philippe de Montebello, former director of the Metropolitan Museum, added another medal to his trophy case yesterday when he became only the fourth person ever to have received both the National Medal of the Arts and the National Humanities Medal. The other double-medalists were philanthropist Paul Mellon and authors Eudora Welty and John Updike. Yesterday, he picked up the … [Read more...] about Awards Ceremony: Philippe de Montebello Gets Gold Medal in the Humanities Olympics
“The Art of the Steal”: Barnes Documentary’s Gaffes and Gaps
Director Don Argott, left, and executive producer Lenny Feinberg, right, discussing "The Art of the Steal" after its screening at the New York Film Festival With today's commercial opening of Don Argott's much anticipated documentary examining the upcoming relocation of the Barnes Foundation from Merion to Philadelphia, it's time for CultureGrrl's two-part movie review. … [Read more...] about “The Art of the Steal”: Barnes Documentary’s Gaffes and Gaps
Whit Crit: The Reviewers Weigh In
How does one describe the agglomeration of new art that has just opened at the Whitney?Is it the "tweak-intensive" Biennial (Holland Cotter of the NY Times), the "Obama Biennial" (Jerry Saltz in NY Magazine) or "the shy Biennial" (Linda Yablonsky for Bloomberg)? Why do critics feel the need to come up with a catch-phrase?I think it's hard to come up with a pithy epithet for … [Read more...] about Whit Crit: The Reviewers Weigh In
Barnes Countdown: “Art of the Steal” Premiere; “Final Year” in Merion
Poster for "The Art of the Steal"The Barnes Foundation's latest E-Newletter, which recently hit my inbox, conveyed this sad message:Join and receive FREE tickets to enjoy the final year [emphasis added] of the Barnes collection in Merion as few can. You will also receive permanent status as a Founding Member of the Barnes on the Parkway.FINAL YEAR in Merion? So soon? (The new … [Read more...] about Barnes Countdown: “Art of the Steal” Premiere; “Final Year” in Merion
Whitney Biennial (and Kentridge at MoMA): Let the Debate Begin
A retrospective of Whitney Biennial catalogues in a display case at the current BiennialI don't want to dyspeptically dismiss the many individual works that didn't speak to me at the Whitney Biennial, but, needless to say, I was astonished by Charlie Finch's rave today on Artnet, in which he brashly announces: "This is not only the greatest of Whitney Biennials, it is the … [Read more...] about Whitney Biennial (and Kentridge at MoMA): Let the Debate Begin
Whit-Split: Biennial Less Than the Sum of Its Parts
Solemn Duo: Francesco Bonami and Gary Carrion-Murayari, co-organizers of this year's Whitney BiennialDuring the remarks at yesterday's press preview for the 2010 Whitney Biennial, the 75th edition of what the museum describes as its "signature exhibition," there seemed to be a lack of chemistry between the two organizers of the show---guest curator Francesco Bonami, the … [Read more...] about Whit-Split: Biennial Less Than the Sum of Its Parts
Biennale to Biennial: Whitney Guest Curator Bonami Organized Venice Display Critics Loved to Hate
Whitney Wizard: Francesco BonamiAs I gird myself to head out to today's press preview for the Whitney Biennial, I have to wonder at the museum's gutsy choice of Francesco Bonami, former senior curator of the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, to curate the show in collaboration with Gary Carrion-Murayari, the Whitney's associate curator.Bonami received a general drubbing for … [Read more...] about Biennale to Biennial: Whitney Guest Curator Bonami Organized Venice Display Critics Loved to Hate
Picasso Smackdown, Philly vs. MoMA: My “Three Musicians” Is Better than Yours!
Michael Taylor, Philadelphia Museum's curator of modern art, hyping its "Three Musicians" at Friday's press preview for new permanent-collection exhibitionLet's get this out of the way: Its exhibition surcharge notwithstanding, the Philadelphia Museum's Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris, opening to the public on Wednesday, is an interesting show but not a great one. Its 56 … [Read more...] about Picasso Smackdown, Philly vs. MoMA: My “Three Musicians” Is Better than Yours!
Olympian Contests with Italy: Met Loses the Silver; Getty Battles for the Bronze (but teams up with Sicily)
Gaetano Armao of the Sicilian Ministry of Culture and Sicilian Identity, left, and David Bomford, acting director, Getty Museum, signing a long-term collaboration agreement on Feb. 9 Photo: Maureen McGlynn © 2010 J. Paul Getty Trust Yesterday's announcement of a new partnership agreement between the Getty Museum and Sicily, an outgrowth of the museum's agreement to return … [Read more...] about Olympian Contests with Italy: Met Loses the Silver; Getty Battles for the Bronze (but teams up with Sicily)
Dakis Fracas, Continued: The Artists, the Funders and the AAMD President’s Statement UPDATED
Artist-turned-curator Jeff Koons in his studio recently With more details having emerged about the New Museum's upcoming Jeff Koons-curated show of Dakis Joannou's collection, Mar. 3-June 6, including a list of artists (scroll down), it seemed to be time for me to re-send my question that had gone unanswered by the museum's press office, despite my repeated attempts to … [Read more...] about Dakis Fracas, Continued: The Artists, the Funders and the AAMD President’s Statement UPDATED
Polaroid Collection Dispersal: From Museum Exhibition to Presale Exhibition
The 1999 Abrams catalogue for a traveling exhibition of Polaroid's photography collection Cover image: detail from Silvia Taccani's "Composite #115"The Polaroid Corporation's decades-old Artist Support Program (through which it bartered equipment for a collection of photographs by distinguished artists) has now become a Creditor Support Program.In her e-mail accompanying the … [Read more...] about Polaroid Collection Dispersal: From Museum Exhibition to Presale Exhibition
Met’s American Wing: Brilliant Period Rooms, Kitschy Sculpture Court, Truth-in-Advertising Alert
Morrison Heckscher, chairman of the Metropolitan Museum's American Wing, in the refurbished Engelhard Court last May (prior to the public opening) Following up on my President's Day post, where we tracked down the Metropolitan Museum's George Washington-in-exile, here's my very belated take on the museum's refurbished Engelhard Court and period rooms in the American … [Read more...] about Met’s American Wing: Brilliant Period Rooms, Kitschy Sculpture Court, Truth-in-Advertising Alert
MeTube: Whither George Washington? President-in-Exile Racked at the Met
During my visit to the Metropolitan Museum late last week, to catch up on some exhibitions that I'd missed (including the glorious Bronzino show---another attribution exhibition but so much more!), I encountered this reminder of "Met Holiday Mondays," beside the $20-suggested-admissions-fee cash register:"The Met is Open on Presidents Day"Wait a minute! I thought that George … [Read more...] about MeTube: Whither George Washington? President-in-Exile Racked at the Met