I need to revise this headline from last Wednesday's CultureGrrl post---Worcester Art Museum’s “Fake” Rembrandt: “American Hustle” Cons the Audience. I'm beginning to believe that it's the Worcester Art Museum (WAM), not the new movie, that's misleading (if not exactly "conning") its audience when it comes to the "Rembrandt": "There are no questions about the authenticity of … [Read more...] about “Rembrandt”? Probably Not: Worcester Art Museum’s Own Version of “American Hustle”
Archives for 2013
Worcester Art Museum’s “Fake” Rembrandt: “American Hustle” Cons the Audience UPDATED
More on this, here. Is the Worcester Art Museum's Rembrandt not a Rembrandt? That's what the main character of the uproarious, caustic new film, "American Hustle," convincingly maintains (without identifying the museum that he's debunking), at the very beginning of the movie's trailer: Notwithstanding these cinematic antics, "there are no questions about the … [Read more...] about Worcester Art Museum’s “Fake” Rembrandt: “American Hustle” Cons the Audience UPDATED
My NPR Soundbite on Detroit Institute of Arts’ “Grand Bargain”
Did you have better things to do this Christmas morning than listening to me on NPR? If so, you can now hear me here (starting at 3:08), near the end of the segment on the Detroit Institute of Arts by NPR's Elizabeth Blair, which aired on "Morning Edition." (Click the arrow to the left of the audio bar below.) For the transcript of the full segment (accompanied by another … [Read more...] about My NPR Soundbite on Detroit Institute of Arts’ “Grand Bargain”
Guardian Exposé: Substandard Conditions Reportedly Persist for Some Abu Dhabi Construction Workers (plus Guggenheim’s, TDIC’s reactions) UPDATED
UPDATE: All the links in the original version of this post to documents that had been on the TDIC website (now revamped)---the PricewaterhouseCoopers report, the Employment Practices Policy, the statement on worker welfare---have changed and I've updated them. But I could not longer find a link to the news release on foreigners' visits to the model Saadiyat Accommodation … [Read more...] about Guardian Exposé: Substandard Conditions Reportedly Persist for Some Abu Dhabi Construction Workers (plus Guggenheim’s, TDIC’s reactions) UPDATED
Make Art, Not War: CultureGrrl Bumped Off (NPR) by AK-47 Rifle
I presciently prefaced my brief announcement last night of my NPR cameo on the Detroit Institute of Arts' situation by saying that I'd be on air this morning "if all goes according to plan." Ha! Having spent an entirely unplanned 10 hours last night and this morning in the Memorial Sloan-Kettering emergency room with my already sick friend who had developed acute … [Read more...] about Make Art, Not War: CultureGrrl Bumped Off (NPR) by AK-47 Rifle
Detroit Diatribe: My NPR Commentary Tomorrow on the Art Institute’s Predicament
If all goes according to plan (and it's already been postponed twice), I should be heard on NPR's "Morning Edition" tomorrow (along with other analysts), providing some commentary on the talks to preserve the art collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts in the face of the city's financial crisis. I was interviewed for this last Tuesday, but I'm sure the producer (and … [Read more...] about Detroit Diatribe: My NPR Commentary Tomorrow on the Art Institute’s Predicament
Michigan Governor Suggests State Funds Could Go Towards Detroit Institute Rescue
The "Grand Bargain" is gathering momentum. In comments to the Detroit News editorial board yesterday, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder revealed that he "wouldn't be close-minded" to proposals to allocate state funds towards protecting the Detroit Institute of Arts, "if it were part of settling the case." Similarly, Kalamazoo-based radio station WKZO reported on comments by … [Read more...] about Michigan Governor Suggests State Funds Could Go Towards Detroit Institute Rescue
Appraising the Appraisal: Christie’s Sickening Potential Shopping List of Detroit Institute’s Art
In what has now become, for me, the most stomach-turning moment in the Detroit Institute of Arts/municipal crisis saga, the Detroit Free Press today has posted an interactive feature (to which I refuse to link) that features images and the purported "fair market values" of 30 highlights from the 2,773 DIA works appraised by Christie's at the behest of Detroit Emergency Manager … [Read more...] about Appraising the Appraisal: Christie’s Sickening Potential Shopping List of Detroit Institute’s Art
Detroit Institute of Arts Comments on Christie’s Appraisal Report CLARIFIED
The dark "cloud of unknowing" (about which director Graham Beal has previously lamented) regarding deliberations about the Detroit Institute of Arts' fate continues to hang over the museum today, with the delivery of Christie's 150-page appraisal report to Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr. The report provides valuations for more than 2,000 works from the museum's … [Read more...] about Detroit Institute of Arts Comments on Christie’s Appraisal Report CLARIFIED
Christie’s Submits 150-Page Report on Detroit Institute Art Valuations and Monetization Recommendations UPDATED
UPDATE: Detroit Institute's reaction to the report is here. This message from Christie's just hit my inbox: Christie’s has delivered to the Emergency Manager’s Office of the City of Detroit the final report on its two-part project that includes a valuation of City of Detroit (COD)- purchased works of art in the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) collection and recommendations … [Read more...] about Christie’s Submits 150-Page Report on Detroit Institute Art Valuations and Monetization Recommendations UPDATED
Litigation Nation: Bankruptcy Judge Allows Appeals (but Fodor’s puts art-rich Detroit on 2014 “Go List”)
While we breathlessly await this week's expected final report from Christie's on its appraisal of some 2,781 works in the Detroit Institute of Art's collection, the legal wars over the city's financial morass are escalating. Matt Helms and Brent Snavely of the Detroit Free Press today report: U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes on Monday allowed appeals of two of his … [Read more...] about Litigation Nation: Bankruptcy Judge Allows Appeals (but Fodor’s puts art-rich Detroit on 2014 “Go List”)
Bye-Buy “Big-Box”: Amy Cappellazzo to Leave Christie’s
In its just released announcement (not online) of the imminent departure of Amy Cappellazzo from her position as Christie's international chairman of Post-War & Contemporary development, the auction house made it clear that this was not a cutting-of-ties. The press release included this remark by Cappellazzo: I will soon embark on a private venture aimed at fully … [Read more...] about Bye-Buy “Big-Box”: Amy Cappellazzo to Leave Christie’s
Not Just a Pension Subvention: Why “Grand Bargain” to Rescue Detroit Institute of Arts Could Work
Sometimes winning or losing philanthropic support is a question of how you structure the grant proposal. Foundations approached in recent months by Graham Beal, the Detroit Institute of Arts' director, had all told him the same thing: They would not provide funds towards the $500 million that Detroit's emergency manager, Kevyn Orr, said he wanted the museum to come up with … [Read more...] about Not Just a Pension Subvention: Why “Grand Bargain” to Rescue Detroit Institute of Arts Could Work
My Wool-y Photo Op: “Sell(out) the Journalist!” (plus: Perl Hurls)
I was as surprised as Carol Vogel may have been when I discovered that I had made a cameo appearance in her NY Times article about the "hard sell" buildup to last month's big Contemporary auctions. Now it seems that I've popped up in yet another art-market article. As in the Times photo, I'm at the Christie's press preview for what was to become its $691.58-million … [Read more...] about My Wool-y Photo Op: “Sell(out) the Journalist!” (plus: Perl Hurls)
Trial-By-Ice: How’s the Kimbell’s New Piano Pavilion Doing after the Storm? UPDATED
UPDATE: Late opening tomorrow (Tuesday): noon instead of 10 a.m. The Kimbell Art Museum's new Renzo Piano Pavilion has undergone trial-by-ice. Having endured a treacherous wintery storm that paralyzed much of North Texas, the museum was closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (It's also closed today, but it's always closed on Mondays.) At this writing, there's no indication on … [Read more...] about Trial-By-Ice: How’s the Kimbell’s New Piano Pavilion Doing after the Storm? UPDATED