Dept. of Bad Taste: Making Light of Attack on Art at Clyfford Still Museum

Suffering damage: "1957-J-No. 2," Clyfford Still Museum

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised by the many commentators who seem to be finding cause for merriment in the sad damage done last Friday to a painting at the new Clyfford Still Museum, Denver.

But AAMD?!?

First, the backstory. Joey Bunch of the Denver Post reported this yesterday:

A 36-year-old Denver woman, apparently drunk, leaned against an iconic Clyfford Still painting worth more than $30 million last week, punched it, slid down it and urinated on herself, according to a criminal case against Carmen Lucette Tisch.

Here's what someone representing the Association of Art Museum Directors tweeted today:

There's nothing wrong with Art in America's straightforward headline. But to answer AAMD's question: Yes, I'd say it's wrong for the nation's preeminent professional organization for art museums to "love it."

Not "loving it" is the Clyfford Still Museum. Here's its statement, issued today:

On Dec.29, 2011, an incident of criminal mischief took place at the Clyfford Still  Museum. The police were summoned and the offender was arrested and is currently in police custody. Museum officials are cooperating with the authorities regarding the situation and are in the process of further assessing the incident.

The Clyfford Still Museum maintains the highest standard of security; our security officers acted swiftly and appropriately; the police were summoned immediately and the offender was taken into custody within minutes of the incident. We regularly evaluate our security procedures in order to protect both the Still collection and our visitors.

The painting involved in the incident is still being assessed, and our initial evaluations indicate that it can be treated and returned to public exhibition. Early estimated treatment cost is in the range of $10,000. Since opening in November, the Clyfford Still Museum has welcomed thousands of visitors who have enjoyed the collection and acted respectfully and appropriately.

This extremely rare and random act of criminal mischief is highly deplorable; however, it will not deter us from performing our mission and continuing to provide a world-class art experience to our visitors.