Archives for October 2009

Bob Workman at his previous postWhat's the Flint Hills Discovery Center, we all wonder.According to its website, it will be "a focal point of the South End Redevelopment [that] will offer a unique tourism experience that celebrates the history, culture and heritage of the Flint Hills and Tallgrass Prairie." It's in Manhattan. (That would be Manhattan, Kansas.)Although Bob … [Read more...] about News Flash: Bob Workman from Crystal Bridges to…Flint Hills Discovery Center?

Williams and Tsien describe their Barnes design in video posted by the Philadelphia InquirerArchitect Robert Venturi's letter (e-mailed to me by the Friends of the Barnes early this morning), opposing the planned move of the Barnes Foundation to Philadelphia, states:The current building in Merion was designed specifically for the Barnes collection by Paul Cret, in collaboration … [Read more...] about Venturi, Who Blasted Barnes’ Planned Move, Was Architect for Its 1995 Renovation UPDATED

At the hearing, left to right: Architect Jean Nouvel, David Penick of Hines, MoMA's Glenn Lowry, project attorney Michael SillermanI'm going to leave the story of the Barnes' design plans to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Inga Saffron for now. (Her expanded report is here.)That's because I've got to bring you the news from the hearing I attended today on the MoMA/Hines tower. As … [Read more...] about MoMA Monster Refuses to Shrink: NY City Council Committee Hearing

"Jamie Houghton"---Met Chairman's Signature In a letter e-mailed last night to its members, the Metropolitan Museum's board chairman, James Houghton, revealed that final audit results are expected to show an operating deficit that totals a whopping $8.4 million for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2009. This compares with a deficit of $3.2 million in fiscal 2008 and a … [Read more...] about Met Debt: Museum Expects $8.4 Million Deficit for Fiscal 2009

Yesterday I questioned why the Barnes Foundation's plans for its Philadelphia facility, filed Friday with the city's Art Commission, were being withheld from the public in apparent violation of the state's Right-to-Know Law.I guess someone had a look at the law and agreed with my interpretation.This hit my inbox late this afternoon from William Burke of the Art Commission:The … [Read more...] about Right-to-Know Prevails: Philly Barnes Plans Released

Hey, I didn't start this: Highlighted as "the latest museum 'interactive'" on both the Getty Museum's twitter page and the twitter page of Max Anderson, director of the Indianapolis Museum, is the purported museum initiative described in a tongue-in-cheek send-up today by The Onion, a spoof publication where every day is April Fools.Struggling Museum Now Allowing Patrons To … [Read more...] about The Latest in “Visitor-Friendly”: “The Onion” Spoofs the Met

Two big Pennsylvania arts-and-government stories are unfolding simultaneously, so I'm going to mash them together in one post:First, the Philadelphia Museum's architecture critic, Inga Saffron, reports that the Barnes Foundation for the first time will make public architectural plans for its planned Philadelphia facility. This will occur on Wednesday morning, when the Barnes … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania Mania: Philly Barnes Plans to Be Revealed; Proposed Arts Sales Tax Challenged

Here's my second video from the new CultureGrrl YouTube Channel. It's not appealing (like Glenn Lowry's star turn), but appalling. It's the most inane moment in the insipid installation of the "Lucy's Legacy" show is at New York's new schlockbuster venue, the Discovery Times Square Exhibition Center. You enter a stygian tunnel to get to the famous (and truly impressive) … [Read more...] about MeTube on “Lucy’s Legacy”: Is This Any Way to Treat a 3.2-Million-Year-Old Lady? UPDATED

Ted Gallagher, an attorney with a self-described "strong amateur art historic streak," responds to my two posts (here and here) critiquing the NY Times' cultural coverage:There is a marked preference on the part of the Times' editors for coverage of performing arts over fine arts in the cultural pages. My dream for a new NY Times is that editors nurture long-form art criticism … [Read more...] about BlogBack: Reader Rues NY Times’ Performing Arts Emphasis

I'm not blogging this week. Glenn Lowry is! I've got a new tech toy and (with MoMA's permission) I'm posting a video in which I captured some interesting comments made by the director of the Museum of Modern Art at the conclusion of Tuesday's press breakfast. (Next time, I'll even try to hold the camera steady!) … [Read more...] about MeTube: Glenn Lowry Captured by CultureGrrl at MoMA’s Press Breakfast