Lee Rosenbaum's cultural commentary

Michael Tilson Thomas, left, and Frank Gehry, speaking at a recent New York press lunch Those of you who are not just art-lings but also sport-lings are riveted today by a Miami basketball story. But let's take a look at a another major Miami match-up: conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, architect Frank Gehry and the New World Symphony---an educational and performance … [Read more...] about MeTube: How Museums Influenced Concept for Gehry’s/Tilson Thomas’ Symphony Campus

"The Three Graces," Roman, Imperial period, 2nd century A.D., copy of Greek work from 2nd century B.C., displayed in the Metropolitan Museum's Greek and Roman sculpture courtBack on May 12, CultureGrrl broke some news that the Met has finally confirmed in a press release that hit my inbox very early today: An ancient Roman group statue of great importance and beauty---a … [Read more...] about Met’s New Acquisition, New Curator: Late-Breaking News, Broken Late

Let's get this party started!On its AAMDIndy Twitter page, the Association of Art Museum Directors listed this as one of the hot-button topics to be discussed at last month's annual meeting: Exhibition of private collections in museums: clear protocols and guidelines needed.Nothing more on this has emerged publicly since that meeting, but at least the need has been recognized … [Read more...] about CultureChat: Single-Collector Museum Shows

Please do join me today at 3:30 p.m. for our second online CultureChat: The topic is "Single-Collector Museum Shows"---the upsides and the pitfalls. I've described the kind of issues we''ll be discussing here. You can get an idea of the format of the chat by clicking the replay button for the first CultureChat. The technology is simple and similar to instant messaging: Just … [Read more...] about CultureChat Reminder: Today’s Live Online Chat at 3:30 p.m.

J.M.W. Turner, "Modern Rome---Campo Vaccino," 1838-9, just purchased by the GettyIn an e-mail that just hit my inbox, the J. Paul Getty Museum wasted no time in announcing that it today purchased what it called "one of the greatest paintings by Turner to come on the market": "Modern Rome---Campo Vaccino," offered by Sotheby's, London, at today's just concluded evening sale of … [Read more...] about The Getty’s Mega-Purchase: $44.94-Million Turner at Sotheby’s UPDATED

Saatchi Gallery, LondonThere's more than meets the eye and much that doesn't add up about Charles Saatchi's recent public disclosure that he is "is gifting over 200 works [from his collection], and the Saatchi Gallery [the former adman's art facility in Chelsea], to create a Museum of Contemporary Art for London." The core permanent collection is said to be "worth more than £25 … [Read more...] about Adman Saatchi’s “London MOCA”: Real Deal or Sales Job?

1970 cartoon by Barney Tobey for the New Yorker magazine (featuring a famous Metropolitan Museum Rembrandt), on display in the Met's current exhibition, "Italian Old Master Drawings from the Tobey Collection" (Cartoon caption: "Hey, look! That jigsaw puzzle you gave me last Christmas!")Our first CultureChat was great fun. Let's do it again, shall we? This Thursday, July 8, at … [Read more...] about Upcoming CultureChat: Single-Collector Museum Shows

Before I power down for a lon-g-g-g-g holiday weekend, here are my responses to the updated AAMD Policy on Deaccessioning, which we've all now had the chance to read:The 12-page document fleshes things out, particularly with regard to fractional deaccessioning (with an appendix of six hypotheticals that resembles a hair-splitting law-school assignment, but doesn't add up to … [Read more...] about What’s Wrong with the New AAMD Deaccession Guidelines?

It's not posted to the association's website yet, but you can read the 12-page document along with me, here.At least I got that news out before Journalist X! … [Read more...] about News Flash: AAMD Releases Updated Deaccession Guidelines

Kaywin Feldman, AAMD's presidentI have often railed against a "Times-first" policy---that exasperating practice of spoonfeeding a cultural-news story of general interest and importance to a NY Times writer before the rest of the scribe tribe is allowed to get a taste of it. (My recent food-fight response to this was ketchup journalism.)I don't know whether it's the NY Times or … [Read more...] about Playing Favorites: Kaywin Feldman Off to Bad Start as AAMD President

Other iconic drums now on view in the Met's galleries: Kettle Drums, Franz Peter Bunsen, 1779, Hanover, GermanyI have a confession to make that will make me seem even more dorky than you already think I am: Ringo was my favorite Beatle. That's probably because he was no one else's favorite Beatle. (I'm a contrarian to the core.) Still, I had to rub my eyes in disbelief when the … [Read more...] about Beatlemania at the Met: Ringo’s “Iconic” Golden Drum Rocks the House

The BP Grand Entrance at the Los Angeles County Museum of ArtCultural institutions in Great Britain and the U.S., which had until now relied on BP, the British oil company, as a benevolent, generous patron, are now faced with decisions about how to deal with the public-relations dilemmas posed by accepting support from a company that has been demonized, due to the horrific Gulf … [Read more...] about To BP or Not to BP? Should Art Museums Accept Polluted Sponsorship?

"Apollo Sauroktonos" (Lizard-Slayer), ca. 350-275 B.C., attributed to Praxiteles, featured in newly renovated galleries at the Cleveland Museum of Art In his June 8 article about the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority's plan (now realized) to issue $75 million in tax-exempt bonds to help finance the Cleveland Museum of Art's expansion, Steve Litt of the Cleveland Plain … [Read more...] about Cleveland Museum’s Bonds for Expansion Backed by Art Acquisition Funds

Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the ArtsIf you liked the first Rocco Show---the online webcast of the meeting of the National Council on the Arts (advisory body for the National Endowment for the Arts)---you won't want to miss the return engagement, tomorrow (Friday) from 9-11 a.m., viewable here. On the agenda: a report on how technology influences … [Read more...] about NEA Online: Live Webcast of Council Meeting Tomorrow Morning

UPDATE 3: It worked! You can replay the chat below!UPDATE 2: Wait a minute! I think it's working! (Oh no, maybe not!) It was working for a moment.UPDATE: Curses! Foiled by technology again! I''ve done everything right (I think), and even see the proper dialogue box in my posting platform's "preview" view, but it does't post to CultureGrrl. All you can see is that useless box … [Read more...] about CultureChat: State of the Blog