> Subj: Museums & Artists
>
> Date: Thu, 5 May 1994 19:54:34 EDT
> From: gerrygerry@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Museums & Artists
> X-To: artcrit%yorkvm1.bitnet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> I read recently in the NY Times about an artist, Paul Rebhan, who walked into
> the MOMA and hung one of his paintings in the T. Grossman Gallery using
> double-stick tape. The museum didn't notice for @ 48 hrs. As a museum
> professiona, I am concerned with issues raised about museum security, etc.,
> but I would be interested to hear from this list's subscribers what you think
> the relationship should be, ideally and/or realistically, between artists,
> particularly the lesser-known, and museums.
> Gerry
With out seeming too personal, of course a museum "professional" would
seem concerned, maybe even threatened. The same goes for the
architectural community when a "lesser-known" (i.e. un-canonized) creator
slips through the cracks and surfaces up amongst the "accepted" authors.
Wasn't there a furor when the Paris Opera competition committee picked
the "Meier" only to find out they had chosen Carlos Ott (a relatively
unknown, though very competent) architect out of Toronto? Didn't they
try to take back the contract for construction much in the same way that
Koolhas (sp?) was turned down for the Parc la Villette Competition? The
question of canonizing art through the museal process of selection by
"professionals" such as yourself, in my opinion, needs the occasional
shake-up to remind us that what's in a museum is just the choice of some
people who have spent a great amount of time, money and effort deveolping
the ability to "see" art and to convince others that it contains a
certain element or gesture that makes it worthy of this museal canonization.
Brian.
P.S. This act also helps to show the incredibly low quality of museum
personnel on the
floor here in New York. I hadn't ever been in a museum where the floor
people chatted out loud (with profanity), blocked patrons views of the
artwork and in general showed a threatening total lack of disrespect
towards the patron and museum until I had been to the Guggenheim ,
MoMA (both of them), and the Metropolian here in New York.
>
> Date: Thu, 5 May 1994 19:54:34 EDT
> From: gerrygerry@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Museums & Artists
> X-To: artcrit%yorkvm1.bitnet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> I read recently in the NY Times about an artist, Paul Rebhan, who walked into
> the MOMA and hung one of his paintings in the T. Grossman Gallery using
> double-stick tape. The museum didn't notice for @ 48 hrs. As a museum
> professiona, I am concerned with issues raised about museum security, etc.,
> but I would be interested to hear from this list's subscribers what you think
> the relationship should be, ideally and/or realistically, between artists,
> particularly the lesser-known, and museums.
> Gerry
With out seeming too personal, of course a museum "professional" would
seem concerned, maybe even threatened. The same goes for the
architectural community when a "lesser-known" (i.e. un-canonized) creator
slips through the cracks and surfaces up amongst the "accepted" authors.
Wasn't there a furor when the Paris Opera competition committee picked
the "Meier" only to find out they had chosen Carlos Ott (a relatively
unknown, though very competent) architect out of Toronto? Didn't they
try to take back the contract for construction much in the same way that
Koolhas (sp?) was turned down for the Parc la Villette Competition? The
question of canonizing art through the museal process of selection by
"professionals" such as yourself, in my opinion, needs the occasional
shake-up to remind us that what's in a museum is just the choice of some
people who have spent a great amount of time, money and effort deveolping
the ability to "see" art and to convince others that it contains a
certain element or gesture that makes it worthy of this museal canonization.
Brian.
P.S. This act also helps to show the incredibly low quality of museum
personnel on the
floor here in New York. I hadn't ever been in a museum where the floor
people chatted out loud (with profanity), blocked patrons views of the
artwork and in general showed a threatening total lack of disrespect
towards the patron and museum until I had been to the Guggenheim ,
MoMA (both of them), and the Metropolian here in New York.