This hit my inbox at 4:40 p.m., Los Angeles time, from a press spokesperson for LA MOCA:The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees is continuing to review the options presented to the full board today. MOCA anticipates making a further announcement as early as next week regarding the outcome of these discussions. I guess they may not be interested in waiting to hear from … [Read more...] about News Flash: LA MOCA Board Update
LA Mayor to Convene “Expert Panel” to Review MOCA Options
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio VillaraigosaShould a city's mayor assemble a panel to help determine a privately run museum's future?LA's Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa thinks so. In a letter sent today to the co-chairmen of LA MOCA's embattled board, the major called for a 30-day delay in deciding what to do about the two rescue options offered by Eli Broad and by the Los Angeles County … [Read more...] about LA Mayor to Convene “Expert Panel” to Review MOCA Options
Tale of the 2008 Getty Financials: Negative Income, $3.71-Billion “Alternative Investments”
In his memo to the J. Paul Getty Trust's staff, informing them that financial shortfalls will necessitate a job freeze and other cost reductions, Getty president James Wood revealed:Our endowment ended the 2008 fiscal year [ending June 30] at $5.98 billion and, since that time, with financial markets deteriorating further, the value of the endowment has declined roughly … [Read more...] about Tale of the 2008 Getty Financials: Negative Income, $3.71-Billion “Alternative Investments”
MAD Deaccessions: 24 of 44 Lots Sold by Museum at Auction
Museum of Arts and Design's Wharton Esherick cherrywood low table, 1960, sold yesterday for $24,000 (with buyer's premium)As we continue our cranky coverage of Deaccession December, let us not forget the disposals at Bonham's by the newly relocated and reopened Museum of Arts and Design, New York. Although Bonham's press release had announced that the sale was scheduled for … [Read more...] about MAD Deaccessions: 24 of 44 Lots Sold by Museum at Auction
MOCA Mobilization: 3,200 Signatories Oppose the Urge to Merge
It's more than just a bake sale.Some 3,200 MOCA-philes have signed a petition against the proposed merger with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The petition has been delivered by the grassroots group, MOCA Mobilization, to MOCA's board. This is the same group that held a rally at the museum's Geffen Contemporary building on Nov. 23, which was attended by prominent LA … [Read more...] about MOCA Mobilization: 3,200 Signatories Oppose the Urge to Merge
Raider of the Lost Museum: Takeover Bid by Govan for MOCA UPDATED
Michael Govan [Michael Govan gives CultureGrrl his side of the story here.] The Los Angeles County Museum of Art calls its proposal for rescuing the financially moribund MOCA a "merger" and "partnership." It's more like a takeover bid, and not a particularly friendly one. MOCA's crisis received its first public airing almost a month ago, but LACMA dropped its bomb … [Read more...] about Raider of the Lost Museum: Takeover Bid by Govan for MOCA UPDATED
My Q&A with LACMA About MOCA Proposal: Combined Board and a Contemporary “Art Leader” UPDATED
Barbara Pflaumer, press spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, has responded by e-mail to my queries about LACMA-MOCA.Here are my Q's and her A's, in full: Q: Does LACMA's proposal to MOCA involves a single board and a single director? If yes, does that mean the departure of [current MOCA director] Jeremy Strick?A: Combined board for the two museums with a … [Read more...] about My Q&A with LACMA About MOCA Proposal: Combined Board and a Contemporary “Art Leader” UPDATED
MOCA’s Poker Face: Board Meets Again Thursday
You thought you might know today how MOCA's board will address the museum's dire financial crisis?Think again.This just in from the MOCA board:In light of ongoing discussions with potential partners, the MOCA Board of Trustees convened today and will meet again on Thursday, Dec. 18. We are grateful for the generosity of the Broad Foundation and the interest and efforts of LACMA … [Read more...] about MOCA’s Poker Face: Board Meets Again Thursday
LACMA-MOCA: Can this Gizmo Work?
In a surprising (to say the least) development, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has posted on its website some general information about its proposed partnership with MOCA, which is still being pondered, as I write this, at a closed meeting of MOCA's board.What I like about the proposal is the plan to allocate space for MOCA's important but insufficiently displayed … [Read more...] about LACMA-MOCA: Can this Gizmo Work?
Brooklyn Does It Right: Transferring, Not Selling, Its Costume Collection CORRECTED
Charles James, "Dress, Evening," 1952, Silk. Gift of Mrs. R. A. Bernatschke, Brooklyn MuseumNOTE: This erroneous post was based on false assumptions, created by the lack of transparency in the museums' official announcement. A very belated corrective post, describing the systematic deaccessions of many items from Brooklyn's "transferred" collection, is here.Another financially … [Read more...] about Brooklyn Does It Right: Transferring, Not Selling, Its Costume Collection CORRECTED
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures: The MOCA Bake Sale
Cookies to the Rescue!What did we mommies do when we wanted to show support for our children's school?We held a bake sale! (Baking's not one of my talents. I brought the soda.)So some inspired wags have timed a bit of pastry patronage to take place outside the financially starved LA MOCA right before today's crucial board meeting that may determine its fate. Trustees may want … [Read more...] about Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures: The MOCA Bake Sale
Prior National Academy Deaccession: “War News from Mexico”
Richard Caton Woodville, "War News from Mexico," 1848A comment appended yesterday to LA Times art critic Christopher Knight's recent Culture Monster blog post on the National Academy deaccessions mentions that this month's disposals by the Academy weren't its first. But it doesn't identify the previously sold paintings. I know about (but have not yet written about) the most … [Read more...] about Prior National Academy Deaccession: “War News from Mexico”
NY State Regents Cultural Education Committee Votes for Stringent Deaccession Guidelines, UPDATED
It's official: The NY State Board of Regents' Cultural Education Committee this afternoon voted in favor of revised rules (described here), which would prohibit most museums and historical societies in the state from using deaccession proceeds to defray debts, operating expenses, and most capital expenses. The proposed revisions will go before the full board at its meeting … [Read more...] about NY State Regents Cultural Education Committee Votes for Stringent Deaccession Guidelines, UPDATED
AAM Lambasts Desperation Deaccessions: Text of Its Letter to NYS Board of Regents
Ford Bell, president of the American Association of MuseumsA forcefully worded letter sent Friday by Ford Bell, president of the American Association of Museums, to the NY State Board of Regents may well have been crucial in turning the tide against the Regents' now aborted proposal to allow museums and historical societies to sell collection objects to defray debts. (Christine … [Read more...] about AAM Lambasts Desperation Deaccessions: Text of Its Letter to NYS Board of Regents
NYS Regents Reverse Course on Desperation Deaccessions
"You helped focus everyone in the field on this," Dewey Blanton, head of media relations for the American Association of Museums, told me this morning about the decision of the NY State Board of Regent's Cultural Education Committee to withdraw its Emergency Amendment that would have allowed museums and historical societies to sell objects from their collections "for … [Read more...] about NYS Regents Reverse Course on Desperation Deaccessions