Lee Rosenbaum's cultural commentary

When I attended the the Metropolitan Museum's celebratory press conference in March 2015 that announced multiple major benefactions to its Asian Art Department, little did I know that five years later the Met would auction off a good chunk of those lauded gifts---more than 300 of the 1,277 works of Asian art given by then trustee emerita Florence Irving and her husband … [Read more...] about $8.27 Million & Counting: Metropolitan Museum’s Disposable Irving Gift of Chinese Art

I did a double-take recently while reading this excerpt from the first paragraph of Robin Pogrebin’s and Elizabeth Harris’ mostly hagiographic eulogy for the late David Koch as arts donor: Within cultural circles, he was largely uncontroversial, a result of his prodigiously generous support for the arts and the enthusiasm he demonstrated for institutions like Lincoln Center … [Read more...] about Toxic or Tonic? The Late David Koch’s Munificent Cultural Philanthropy (with video)

I was jolted by several seismic "did-he-really-say-that?" shocks while reading Peggy McGlone's excerpts in the Washington Post from Lonnie Bunch III's upcoming memoir about the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Bunch founded and led the NMAAHC before his promotion in June to the top spot at the Smithsonian Institution (which oversees the … [Read more...] about Failed Diplomacy: Can Lonnie Bunch, Smithsonian’s New Secretary, Out-Bully the Bully-in-Chief?

"Times Change" is a time-dishonored argument for justifying moral lapses, whether they're #MeToo transgressions (Plácido Domingo version) or retention of antiquities that were likely looted (Philippe de Montebello version). Those accustomed to the old rules need to get with the new program: The operative slogan has changed from "Times Change" to "Time's Up!" Speaking of … [Read more...] about The “Times Change” Excuse for Past Antiquities Misdeeds: Kapoor/Metropolitan Museum Edition

If you missed me yesterday in real time, when I was interviewed on Southern California Public Radio by arts and culture reporter Chloe Veltman about the brouhaha over Victor Arnautoff's provocative "Life of Washington" mural at San Francisco's George Washington High School, here's another chance---a soundbar for the podcast, courtesy of KPCC, Los Angeles: And in two … [Read more...] about Hear Me Here: Podcast of My KPCC Commentary on the Frisco Fresco Fracas (plus a new controversy)

You read it here first, art-lings. But this afternoon, if all goes according to plan, I'll share my views with listeners of Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) about Victor Arnautoff's hot-button (soon to be invisible?) WPA murals at San Francisco's George Washington High School. I'll be chatting with Chloe Veltman, KQED Arts & Culture reporter and guest host for … [Read more...] about Radio Alert: Hear Me Unpack the Frisco Fresco Fracas on SoCal’s KPCC

In a close vote last night after a a reportedly contentious public discussion, San Francisco's school board made plans to carry the donkey on its back: In a 4-3 decision that's likely to satisfy no one, it elected to "remove the 'Life of Washington' mural from view by covering it without destroying it," in the words of today's press release. The cost of covering the murals … [Read more...] about Mural Muddle: San Francisco School Board’s Lose-Lose Decision on Its WPA Art

More on this here and here. At its meeting tonight (occurring as I write this), the San Francisco school board was scheduled to consider a resolution "authoriz[ing] staff to develop a project...that removes from public view the [Victor] Arnautoff Mural at George Washington High School, using solid panels or reasonably similar equivalent material, means or methods." "This … [Read more...] about Frisco Frescoes: What to Do About Controversial WPA Murals at George Washington High School

Professional colleagues with sharp political and philosophical differences would do well to learn about the virtues of civility and respectful disagreement from Jane Panetta and Rujeko Hockley, co-curators of the controversy-plagued Whitney Biennial. They deftly double-teamed me during my brief, probing interview (see below), which occurred during the show's May 13 press … [Read more...] about Agreeing to Disagree: My Q&A with Panetta & Hockley, Curatorial Odd Couple of the Split Whitney

The persistent resistance got its way: As reported today by Robin Pogrebin and Elizabeth Harris of the NY Times, Warren Kanders, whose weapons-related business activities were attacked by protesters, has resigned (effective immediately) from the Whitney Museum's board. Therein lies a big problem, not just for the Whitney, but for the museum field as a whole. Already another … [Read more...] about Kanders Slander: Trustees Resign Amidst Wreckage of Whitney Museum’s “Triple Chaser” Fiasco UPDATED

Having previously shown a fondness for the non finito in old master paintings, the Metropolitan Museum has made a virtue of necessity by doing it again---relying on a repeat loan (to Oct. 6) from the Vatican Museums of a single unfinished painting by Leonardo da Vinci---"Saint Jerome Praying in the Wilderness"---to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the artist's … [Read more...] about “Unfinished” (again) at the Met: A Lone Loan of “Jerome” for Leonardo’s 500th Anniversary (video)

"We seem to be fighting similar battles," wrote a CultureGrrl reader in response to “That Little Exhibition”: The Late Douglas Crimp on His Show that Anointed “The Pictures Generation”---my appreciation, posted Monday, of the critic/scholar, 74, whose pioneering work defined what became known as “The Pictures Generation.” I had noted that the Metropolitan Museum's press … [Read more...] about BlogBack: A CultureGrrl Reader on Critic Douglas Crimp, Met Curator Douglas Eklund & “The Pictures Generation”

Ten years ago, I had a chance for a brief but illuminating chat with Douglas Crimp, the influential critic, curator and art historian who died Friday at the age of 74. We were at the press preview for a show at the Metropolitan Museum that had its genesis in Crimp's pioneering work defining what became known as "The Pictures Generation"---artists who "brought both a critical … [Read more...] about “That Little Exhibition”: The Late Douglas Crimp on His Show that Anointed “The Pictures Generation”

Charles Desmarais, art critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, mostly admired what he saw last week when taken on a guided tour of the 11 works recently acquired by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as part of its effort to diversify its collection. SFMOMA bought them by using an undisclosed portion of the $42.8 million in proceeds gleaned from its $50.1-million sale at … [Read more...] about Bye-Bye, Rothko; Welcome, Mickalene: SFMOMA’s Diversity Perversity (Continued)

Although Sotheby's plan to go private may accomplish its goal of making it more competitive in attracting major consignments, it could also cut into profits: The cutthroat competition between Sotheby's and Christie's may devolve into a race to the bottom, if potentially costly concessions are increasingly made to lure the highest-valued property. If the as-yet-unconsummated … [Read more...] about Race to the Bottom? What a “Private” Sotheby’s Might Really Mean