Lowry Ducks the Compensation Controversy

Have I been trying to get Glenn Lowry to comment directly and publicly on the compensation controversy?

Am I CultureGrrl?

Through his beleaguered PR spokesperson, Lowry and I have been in discussion about a discussion, but so far we have not been able to agree on the journalistic ground rules. That may be the end of it, but I still hold out some hope.

It seems that I disappointed at least one blogger by not showing up for the opening press conference for The Armory Show on Thursday, where Lowry spoke and then reporters got to ask questions:

Paddy Johnson of Art Fag City blogged about me before the press conference, saying that she hoped "CultureGrrl will be there to harass the poor man [Lowry], so that loathsome job doesn't fall on me."

I guess Paddy opted not to be "loathsome" after all, because the Washington-based culture blog Ionarts reported that none of the attending journalists questioned Lowry "concerning his latest scandal at MoMA---no fun at all."

Pinning down the elusive Lowry is a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. Sounds like a job for my fearless and loathsome alter ego.

So I dutifully crossed the Hudson early this weekend morning, when I really should have been in bed until noon, to attend the Art Dealers Association of America-sponsored panel on "The Museum as Collector." The discussion had little to do with museum collecting; lots to do with museum expansions and installations. It was held at MoMA, so Lowry was both host and a panelist.

Of course, CultureGrrl had to ask the first question, trying to drag the elephant into the room.

This occasioned some suppressed gasps from the audience and some wagon-circling by the other museum-director panelists. But to my surprise and gratitude, Glenn later came to my rescue, quite gallantly, by answering the part of my question that didn't deal directly with his compensation.

Those few of you who were not among the multitudes of dealers and museum personnel who packed MoMA's auditorium this morning will have to wait a bit longer to learn the details. (I wrote most of the above before I had left for MoMA.)

I must leave you hanging, because I'm off to dinner and a movie with friends (if I still have some). We're seeing "Venus" with Peter O'Toole, and I'm afraid that I'm part of the target audience---people of advanced years.

Now if only I could learn to act my age!