Lee Rosenbaum's cultural commentary

Paul Rudolph's Orange County Government Center, Goshen, completed in 1971 [More on this: here, here and here.] It's on the World Monuments Fund's 2012 Watch List of endangered cultural-heritage sites. But what the WMF may soon "watch" is the demolition of the building that it has called one of Brutalist American architect Paul Rudolph's "greatest achievements" … [Read more...] about Preservationist Alert: Important Paul Rudolph Building in Goshen May Be Knocked Down

The Metropolitan Museum appears to have gotten a spectacular (although unannounced) present in time for last December's holiday season. According to a Met spokesperson, you should be able to enjoy this treat in the galleries at least until August, when it may go back to its lender. As I exited through the old masters galleries after my second viewing (on Dec. 23) of the … [Read more...] about Met Displays Controversial $13.7-Million “Commander,” Sold by Princess Diana’s Brother

I finally did manage to obtain the audio for my very brief soundbite heard last Friday on New York Public Radio, WNYC, regarding Shepard Fairey's guilty plea to criminal charges involving his previously admitted destruction of documents and manufacturing of evidence. He thereby seriously compounded his legal difficulties that arose in connection with the appropriation … [Read more...] about Hear Me Now: My WNYC Commentary on the Shepard Fairey Case

Today's fluctuations, so far, in Sotheby's stock Despite boasting the second-best annual financial results in its history (only outstripped in pre-crash 2007), Sotheby's has been watching its stock price slip today (down more than 9% from yesterday's close, at this writing), after reporting late yesterday afternoon a 25.7% decline in its net income for the fourth quarter of … [Read more...] about Despite Strong 2011, Sotheby’s Stock Slides on Fourth-Quarter Decline

Prof. Larry Rothfield, University of Chicago Having ignited enough controversy by allowing Timothy Potts, through his own words, to roil the repatriationists, I decided to wait for someone else to hammer home the significance of the incoming Getty Museum director's surprising comments. Enter Larry Rothfield. As an associate professor of English and comparative literature … [Read more...] about Potts Shots: Larry Rothfield’s Incisive Analysis of my Q&A with Getty Museum’s Incoming Director (plus my thoughts)

The Appropriator Appropriated: Fairey-like images of Steve Jobs and Ron Paul (not to mention the famously exploited Robert Indiana "Love") being sold by a vendor recently in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art[UPDATE: You can hear me here.]I was surprised by a call this afternoon from WNYC, asking me to comment on a subject that I have conspicuously and deliberately avoided … [Read more...] about Coming Soon: My Shepard Fairey Commentary on New York Public Radio UPDATED

Sunset at the Getty CenterPhoto by Lee Rosenbaum[Part I is here.]During our conversation last Thursday, I had a detailed discussion with incoming Getty Museum director Timothy Potts regarding international cultural property issues---a thorny subject in which he has taken a deep interest, as an archaeologist, a former acquirer of antiquities for the Kimbell Art Museum (which he … [Read more...] about CultureGrrl Q&A with Incoming Getty Museum Director Timothy Potts—Part II (Collecting Antiquities)

The Getty Center, Los Angeles [Part II is here.] My comments on last night's KCRW public radio segment, analyzing the designation of Timothy Potts as the J. Paul Getty Museum's next director (effective Sept. 1), were informed by a detailed discussion that Timothy and I had by phone last week. Still in England as director of Cambridge University's Fitzwilliam Museum, Potts … [Read more...] about CultureGrrl Q&A with Incoming Getty Museum Director Timothy Potts—Part I

Here is the audio for the "Which Way, L.A.?" segment, hosted by Warren Olney, about Timothy Potts' appointment to the directorship of the J. Paul Getty Museum, effective Sept.1. (It aired tonight at 7 p.m., LA time, on KCRW, Southern California's public radio station.) Ours is the lead topic in a longer program. You'll hear me join in at about 13:16 into the podcast. (My … [Read more...] about Hear Us Now: Getty/Potts Commentary By Cuno, Felch and Me on “Which Way, L.A.?”

Warren Olney, host of "Which Way L.A."[UPDATE: The show has now aired, but I managed to give you the wrong link for listening live. But (if you can overlook your annoyance at being misdirected) you can soon hear the program's archived audio, which I'll embed in my next post.]Fighting a bad cold (but hopefully not fighting my fellow program guests---Jason Felch and James Cuno), … [Read more...] about Coming Soon: My Getty/Potts Commentary on “Which Way, L.A.?” UPDATED

CultureGrrl reader Marilyn Hollman responds to Fisk's President, Hazel O'Leary, to Retire: New Hope for the Stieglitz Collection?:I am so happy to hear about a possible new view of the wonderful Fisk collection. Even when I visited 10 or so years ago, I could see that the campus was a trifle shabby. Funding may have become more scarce since. However, I loved the campus and I … [Read more...] about Fisk/Stieglitz BlogBack: Hope for New Perspective on University’s “Terrific Collection”

As it came to pass in Waltham, MA, so may it also happen in Nashville.A change of president at Brandeis University brought about a new commitment to retaining the endangered Rose Art Museum and its important collection.of contemporary art, which the previous president had targeted for possible sale.Now comes the news that Fisk University's president, Hazel O'Leary, will retire … [Read more...] about Fisk’s President, Hazel O’Leary, to Retire: New Hope for the Stieglitz Collection?

The Getty Bronze: Still an object of contention with Italy Nothwithstanding the credentials of the Getty Museum's director-designate, Timothy Potts, as an archaeologist who participated in excavations in Jordan, Iraq and Greece, he is already receiving critical scrutiny regarding his stand on cultural-property issues. Repatriation of antiquities has long been a hot-button … [Read more...] about The Next Getty Director: Archaeologist Timothy Potts’ Comments on Antiquities Collecting UPDATED

Timothy Potts, J. Paul Getty Museum's new director-designate[More on this here and here.]I don't know when the Getty had planned to announce Timothy Pott's appointment (which I "announced" yesterday), but I did know that once I let the cat out of the bag, they'd want to take charge of the story.UPDATE---Jori Finkel of the LA Times reports: Cuno, just home from a work trip to … [Read more...] about Getty Announcement: Timothy Potts Becomes Museum Director on Sept. 1 UPDATED

[More on this here, here and here.] Once again, I've proven to be inept at predicting future museum directors. But my wrongheaded guess (scroll to the bottom) as to who might be tapped to lead the J. Paul Getty Museum impelled someone to set me straight. According to a highly informed, reliable source (who requested anonymity), the not-yet-announced choice is someone who, … [Read more...] about News Flash: Getty Trust Expected to Name Timothy Potts as Museum Director