Archives for July 2019

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”