Archives for September 2011

Michael Kimmelman's new Twitter logo photoFrom the refined cultural capitals of Europe to the gritty, unkempt South Bronx? Who would've thunk it?I'm a Bronxite, born and raised---grew up there (in what's now considered part of the South Bronx) and was schooled there (thanks, Bronx Science), until I left our fourth-floor walk-up apartment on the evocatively named Echo Place to … [Read more...] about The Bronx Says Thonx: Kimmelman Invades My Borough

The VIP Art Fair, which fizzled in its inaugural online outing last January, because its online platform was dysfunctional, is trying again: "VIP 2.0" will come to a computer near you on Feb. 3-8, with "major systems upgrades, adding substantial server and bandwidth resources," according to the announcement that just landed in my inbox. "Significant load testing makes us … [Read more...] about Confidence Killer: Broken Links for VIP Art Fair’s “Augmented Platform”

Clyfford's auction adventureIf the City of Denver and officials of its Clyfford Still Museum believe that the controversy over their decision to monetize four works from the estate of the artist's widow will quickly die down, Kyle MacMillan, the Denver Post's art critic, is out to prove them wrong. What's more, an online video (not mentioned by the Post) of a Denver City … [Read more...] about Clyfford Still Museum’s Sloppy Stewardship: Denver Post Article, City Council Video

Carmine Branagan, director of the National Academy, stands her ground in front of Asher B. Durand's "The Morning of Life," 1840. I wish the National Academy Museum a secure and productive future. And I'm delighted that it is finally back in business, having reopened in its Beaux Arts Huntington Mansion on Sept. 16. (I spoke very briefly Friday about its rebirth on WNYC's All … [Read more...] about Q&A with Carmine Branagan: National Academy Resurrected after Near-Death Experience, Director Unrepentant

Gustave Caillebotte, "Man at His Bath," 1884 Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (which has acquired it)[Part I is here.]The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is not alone in succumbing to the temptation of "trading up" by liquidating museum-quality works to buy other works deemed more important to the collection. Many have done it; the Museum of Modern Art has done it … [Read more...] about Part II: Boston MFA Purchases Caillebotte’s Male Nude, Denudes its Permanent Collection

Currently on display at American Folk Art Museum: "Star of Bethlehem with Satellite Stars Quilt," artist unidentified, possibly Pennsylvania,1930-1950In my post earlier today on the rescue of the American Folk Art Museum (with an update on the Ford Foundation's support here), I stated that its administration's "first order of business" should be updating the museum's website … [Read more...] about Homepage Update: Folk Art Museum’s Detailed Report on Its Good-News Day

This just in (in response to my query) from the Ford Foundation:The Ford Foundation is making a one-year, $500,000 grant to the American Folk Art Museum to help secure a strong and vibrant future for this vital New York cultural institution. Our grant will provide support for museum operations, strategic planning, and innovative efforts to ensure that new and diverse audiences … [Read more...] about American Folk Art Museum Rescue: Ford Foundation Details Its Support

Kinder, Gentler Cuno: James Cuno [left], President and CEO, J. Paul Getty Trust, striking a deal with Pavlos Yeroulanos, Greece's Minister of Culture and Tourism © J. Paul Getty Trust In 2006, when the Getty Trust announced its agreement to return a funerary wreath and a statue  to Greece, it also announced "plans for future collaboration" with that country's Ministry of … [Read more...] about Getty Gives Back Two More Objects to Greece; New Cooperation Agreement Signed UPDATED

[UPDATE: More details, here.]While there was serious talk of its folding, the American Folk Art Museum couldn't reasonably expect donors who care about its survival to step up to the plate.Now it can.Robin Pogrebin of the NY Times reports:The American Folk Art Museum on Wednesday evening decided to continue operating at its current location at Lincoln Square in Manhattan with … [Read more...] about Time to Donate: American Folk Art Museum Rescued (for now)

Gustave Caillebotte, "Man at His Bath," 1884, private collection Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (which has acquired it)[Part II is here.]The Boston Museum of Fine Arts this week announced its problematic plan to sell eight works (images below) at Sotheby's this November to fund the purchase of Caillebotte's "Man at His Bath" (above), a rare, nearly life-size … [Read more...] about Boston MFA Purchases Caillebotte’s Male Nude, Denudes its Permanent Collection—Part I

Why am I not surprised? This just hit my inbox from Sotheby's:Sotheby's is delighted to announce that four masterworks by the celebrated American Abstract Expressionist Clyfford Still will headline the Contemporary Art Evening Auction on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011. The paintings come from the Estate of Patricia Still and are being sold by the City and County of Denver. They are … [Read more...] about Donor Intent Violation: Sotheby’s to Auction Denver’s Four Clyfford Stills on Nov. 9

A visitor making a rubbing last week at the 9/11 Memorial All photos, unless otherwise noted, by Lee Rosenbaum The 9/11 Memorial, on the site of the Twin Towers catastrophe, had a big buildup. But my visit there last week (as shown in the video at the end of this post) was a big letdown. A sense of "spiritual uplift" may be too much to ask of any 9/11 memorial. It was that … [Read more...] about 9/11 Memorial Photo Essay: Dispiriting Design, Stark Ambiance

Photo © by Jill KrementzSomehow, gremlins (or hackers?) have caused the original version of this post, published early yesterday, to vanish. So, for the record, I'll summarize what I then wrote.The headline refers to the de Kooning painting behind me ("Seated Woman," c. 1940, Philadelphia Museum of Art), a portrait of Elaine Fried, to become Mrs. de Kooning three years … [Read more...] about Changes at CultureGrrl (again): Elaine de Kooning and Me (and blogroll additions)

Roberta Smith, NY Times art critic Better late than never. NY Times art critic Roberta Smith has officially joined the Save the American Folk Art Museum campaign, with a powerful opinion piece (not in today's paper but online now)---As Folk Art Museum Teeters, a Grave Loss Looms. Roberta ends her piece this way: The transfer and dispersal of the collection should be … [Read more...] about Roberta Smith Throws Weight Behind Rescuing the American Folk Art Museum

LEFT: A Polaroid from the files of convicted antiquities trafficker Giacomo Medici of a dirt-encrusted Athenian red-figure volute krater, attributed to the Methyse Painter, 460-450 B.C.RIGHT: Photo of the same krater, restored, at the Minneapolis Institute of ArtsWhat took Minneapolis so long?The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which since 2005 has known and publicly … [Read more...] about Minneapolis Finally Agrees to Return Hot Pot to Italy (plus the Getty’s new Greek vase)