William Ivey
Bill Ivey, director of Vanderbilt University’s Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy and chairman, from 1998 to 2001, of the National Endowment for the Arts, defends my criticized take on the “Hide/Seek” show at the National Portrait Gallery:
I believe that the display of value-challenging art in publically-funded environments can never be executed without some willingness to compromise. Those who take absolutist positions often seem to have something other than a happy outcome in mind, as inflammatory language only escalates and entire enterprises of real value can be threatened over rather inconsequential issues.
A sense of proportion is required as it is not a good idea to convert every small offense into a fight over principles. Our president can compromise on tax breaks for the rich, producing an opening for good legislation some of which will advance the very community celebrated in the Portrait Gallery show. The show is the thing, not one tiny (already-edited) piece. Let’s calm down and get on with it.
While you’re all calming down, assuming the lotus position and taking deep breaths, wanna get a peek at the show everyone’s been talking about? Now you can! A very calm video walkthrough, posted by the National Portrait Gallery and accompanied by a soothing Schubert soundtrack, makes this hot-button show seem quite serene and mild. Then again, you never come close enough to the art (or stay with any piece long enough) to get a good look at the exhibition’s many sexually charged moments. (Still, that arrow-shaped fig leaf, below, is rather provocative!)
Strangely, the NPG has posted this on YouTube as an “unlisted video,” which means that only those who already have the link (or the embed code) can view it: