Lee Rosenbaum's cultural commentary

Blogger John Firestone of Iridescent Art News wants my Frank Lloyd Wright house! Neither one of us, alas, is likely realize this dream. But John, think how many sales we may be responsible for, after other Wright lovers read our blogs and find out how many of his houses are on the market! Meanwhile, faithful CultureGrrl reader Gary Faigin (a painter and art critic for the … [Read more...] about Frank Lloyd Wright Dreamers: Visions of Leaky Roofs Dance in Our Heads

While I was in Philadelphia recently, I made the side trip to the Barnes Foundation in Merion to spend an enlightening hour with its recently appointed executive director and president, Derek Gillman. Fresh from a board meeting that same day, he filled me in on some of the architectural and program ideas for the new Barnes, soon to begin construction in Philadelphia. A program … [Read more...] about The New Philly Barnes: Derek Gillman Reveals the Details

This could get to be habit forming: Now I've been asked to expound on museum acquisitions and deaccessions (pegged to the "Gross Clinic" story and its aftermath) on Philadelphia's NPR affiliate, WHYY (91 FM). The show is "Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane," this Monday, from 11 a.m. to noon. At this writing, they plan to have a representative of the Pennsylvania Academy of the … [Read more...] about CultureGrrl on Philadelphia Public Radio

I seem to have hit a nerve with NYC music critics, who are bursting with their own ideas about who should be the next music director of the NY Philharmonic. Here's me, here's Alex Ross, and now Anne Midgette, a frequent contributor of music criticism to the NY Times, picks up the debate on who should pick up the baton: I couldn't resist weighing in on your discussion of the … [Read more...] about BlogBack: Anne Midgette on the NY Philharmonic’s Next Music Director

The J. Paul Getty Trust announced today on its website that it had filed its initial report on the Trust's implementation and compliance with the policy changes mandated by the California Attorney General's office after its investigation last year. According the the Trust's press release: The report includes the new and revised policies and procedures approved in April 2006 by … [Read more...] about Getty Files Its First “Independent Monitor” Report; Brand Gets His Own WSJ Op-Ed

Daniel Grant, author and contributing editor of American Artist Magazine, reacts to my diatribe against the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' sale of "The Cello Player" to help pay for "The Gross Clinic": The Philadelphia Museum's and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' need to deaccession works from their collections to raise the $68 million to pay for "The Gross … [Read more...] about BlogBack: Daniel Grant on the Eakins Controversy

Ken Conley, an artist and teacher from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, responds to my critique of Jed Perl's cover story in the Feb. 5 issue of The New Republic. In other words, here's a critic of a critic of a critic: Might you be expressing intolerance for his viewpoint? Why do you feel as though you HAVE TO respond to his positions---to fight back? If he is wrong, … [Read more...] about BlogBack: In Defense of Jed Perl

Two Views of Frank Gehry's Models for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi The answer to my final question in yesterday's post about the four starchitect-designed cultural facilities is what I thought it would be. But I couldn't (and still can't) get it directly confirmed by the principles. The question was: And the Louvre Abu Dhabi is...where? The answer, as reported in today's NY Times, … [Read more...] about Abu Dhabi Update: Not a Done Deal?

On Dec. 22, I said that "the fundraising campaign to keep 'The Gross Clinic' in Philadelphia cannot be considered a roaring success, having fallen far short of its goal during the appointed time." On Jan. 31, I'm saying that the Eakins acquisition is not just a hollow victory; it's a debacle. There is nothing to celebrate in selling one masterpiece (or maybe more) to … [Read more...] about The “Gross Clinic” Deaccession Debacle

Alex Ross, music critic of The New Yorker (who has his own lively blog), responds to my pick of Riccardo Muti as next music director of the NY Philharmonic: I strongly disagree! Muti is yet another virtuoso conductor who would fly in for 12 weeks, conduct 12 reasonably brilliant concerts, and fly away, making no visible mark on the wider musical life of the city, advancing no … [Read more...] about BlogBack: Alex Ross on the NY Philharmonic’s Next Music Director

I don't usually publish press releases, but this one (linked below) is too meaty merely to summarize. It gives details on four ambitious cultural facilities commissioned by Abu Dhabi's Tourism Development & Investment Company from Frank Gehry (Guggenheim Abu Dhabi), Jean Nouvel (Classical Museum), Tadao Ando (Maritime Museum) and Zaha Hadid (Performing Arts Centre). If, with … [Read more...] about Models for Four Abu Dhabi Facilities Unveiled: Cultural Palaces Fit for a Sheikh?

Ben Sanderson, press officer at the British Library, responds to my previous post criticizing the Library for allowing itself and its Leonardo codex to be used for Bill Gates' promotion of Microsoft's new Vista operating system: As a publicly funded institution, the Library has to supplement the money it receives from the government with sponsorship and support in kind from a … [Read more...] about BlogBack: Ben Sanderson of the British Library on Microsoft’s Vista Launch

Does anyone besides me feel queasy about the willingness of the British Library---the U.K.'s national library---to serve as Bill Gates' promotional platform for yesterday's launch of Microsoft's new Vista operating system? No doubt the British Library has benefited mightily from its longterm "strategic partnership" with Microsoft to digitize material from its collections, and … [Read more...] about Da Vinci on Vista: Should Leonardo and the British Library Promote Microsoft?

Brandes Residence, Sammamish, Wa. Photo by Alan Weintraub/arcaid.co.uk I want this house! Where the heck is the Sammamish Plateau, anyway? I found out how easy it is to find Frank Lloyd Wright houses that are up for sale when I did my article about the restoration of Fallingwater for the Wall Street Journal. If you go to the site for the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy … [Read more...] about Frank Lloyd Wright on the Market

The matter of the Matter "Pollocks" gets curiouser and curiouser: The Harvard-based conservation experts who conducted an independent, pro-bono scientific examination of three paintings from the group of 32 works found among the possessions of Jackson Pollock's friend, the late Herbert Matter, yesterday issued a 13-page analysis (with images), which reported: Some pigments … [Read more...] about “Pollocks” Flunk Harvard, Attend Boston College