Maxwell Anderson, director of Indianapolis Museum of Art
Max Anderson, director of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, responds to MeTube: “Populist” Arnold Lehman Strikes Back:
Arnold’s
comments are on target. I was quoted in the NY Times article about exhibitions
that lack merit, but certainly didn’t intend to single out Brooklyn. As you note, several leading institutions found themselves unable to resist the Star Wars exhibition, which in the end contributed little to their
financial or reputational health. One museum’s attendance or another’s
is, in fact, rarely a key indication of institutional health, with admissions
revenue accounting for less than 4% of art museum income nationally.The media’s
fascination with attendance, which creates a reward system at odds with our
educational mandate, tempts directors to make choices that are short-term and
at the expense of more adventurous, engaging exhibitions–which Brooklyn
stages regularly and to acclaim.
Speaking of “fascination with attendance,” Anderson tweeted last night:
Some 10,000 visitors today for the opening of 100
Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park.