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Tag Archives: MetMuseum

The Met Breuer’s Mission: Depth, at last

28 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by Per Larson in Uncategorized

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Adrian Piper, Alphonse Lami, Breuer, High Line, Jeffrey Koons, Madam Tussaud, Met Museum, MetMuseum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, Museum of Modern Art, New York City, Sokari Camp, Whitney, Whitney Museum

    Most of us at this point are scratching our heads at what the Met wants to accomplish in acquiring the Breuer.

Its first shows seemed like an attempt to be yet another modern art museum.

But that got shot down immediately by the Whitney’s brilliant reinvention of itself as a true anchor of the phenomenally popular High Line – which in turn has incubated an entirely new luxury coastal community of condos with water view. It has finally discovered the true mission of its founders: to be New York’s celebration of modern art.

And MoMA’s first full-floor show of Adrian Piper’s life as works of art is but a preview of their building immensely new capabilities right on 53rd Street.

No, “breathtaking” is an adjective owned by these two office holders of the Modern Art position – at least in New York.

And the current show Life Like reveals more clearly where the Met’s strengths lie, and how it intends to flex its curatorial muscle.

“Comprehensive” is the descriptor that comes to mind. As in its recent shows this is clearly where the Met excels. Fleshing out the show’s Life Like theme creates an exhibit that feels like a walk in the park.

All eras, all approaches to sculpting the human form appear here – from Jeffrey Koons to Madam Tussaud. Including Alphonse Lami’s skinless reveal-all Man and the first-ever excursion outside the UK of University College London’s Jeremy Bentham’s clothing hung on his actual skeleton.

In fact the only odd note is the Nigerian artist Sokari Camp’s caricature figures which are like a solo act out at an otherwise consistently diverse vaudevillian conclave.

The question remains for the Met – especially now that they’re charging full freight from non-New Yorkers can being the art world’s attic become a mission, a clarion call to revisit Art one mo’ time? The answers the Met appears to have chosen are increasingly Entertainment and Education.

The increasingly British bent of the Met’s curators both in their origins and in their increasingly didactic tendencies obvious by the time one gets by the second or third gallery. The reasons for works being included in the show is made at times all too clear.

Education may sit well in their board room, and certainly is popular with their powerfully endowed curatorial staff – but entertainment? in one of the entertainment centers of the world?

The NY Times reviewer of the Life Like show, Roberta Smith,  – https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/arts/design/like-life-sculpture-review-met-breuer.html – wonders aloud at the end of her review whether the Met is hereby launching an “at-home version of the international biennial, something with the combination of buzz, entertainment and historical seriousness that appeals to all levels of art appreciation, pro and layman.”

I disagree. Biennial-type shows draw from horizontally – from current times – whereas the Met draws vertically each step of the way, and often with side by side comparisons and contrasts. Biennial shows offer breadth; the Met offers depth. Besides, the Whitney’s biennial shows almost inevitably flopped or at most elicited uproars. It’s probably best that the Met stick to its own knitting and make the most of its best – and its best is that it has riches of the past beyond any other art mecca in the world.

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What’s up in Asian Art NOW in NYC

12 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by Per Larson in Uncategorized

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American Indian, art guards, artcards, artcards.cc, Asia Week, ERARTA Gallery, Japanese living treasures, Larry Qualls, LarryQualls, Met Museum, MetMuseum, Metropolitan Museum, New York City, New York Society Library, NY Society Library, NYC, Onishi Gallery, Warhol

Dear Friends,
  NEW: Another art opening/event tracker in NYC: larryqualls.blogspot.com. One of our scouts found this. Last night (Tu) artcards.cc had five events listed. LarryQualls had 20.
  And one of them was sponsored by the Warhol Foundation beautiful display of Warhols, and an even more beautiful crowd – on 78th off Madison. Champagne & nibbles including filet mignon and tiny chocolate cones endlessly served from 6-9pm.
  On the 11th, Wed,  we hit The Plains Indians show, a short two month show at the Met. Its scope, interpretative panels, and  the quality of its pieces are stupefying – borrowed from museums all over the world – as only the Met can do. Frankly it gives the Museum of the American Indian down on Bowling Green a run for its money. Why couldn’t they mount something of this quality? This show demands to be seen time and time again – so go! you’ve only two months to play with this one.
  In the show I did what we both always do at the Met: talk to the guards – and ask if they’re an artist. The one I talked to today was like poking your finger in a dike: there was an outpouring of facts, analyses of trends, suggestions for resources, a tabulation of who’s who in the art world – from this painter/sculptor.
  Here are some tidbits gleaned. A long discussion of how adequate funding in the 80s by public and private parties alike led to a renaissance in American art. And how the cutbacks triggered by the Cincinatti Maplethorpe show and the Jesus/Piss piece resulted in the present scene where art is not only not funded but also increasingly not valued.
  This guard was pessimistic as to the future of art in Amerika. A world where art is bought on Instagram. Where art is no longer a currency, no longer discussed and viewed in public, together, but where it’s only had, possessed, monetized – with the artist like any factory worker seeing little or nothing of the rewards it generates. Yes, talk to the Art Guards at the Met….
  On the way to the Society Library for that blessed hour of reading with others in the great reading room full of obscure journals, I stopped by a favorite gallery, ERARTA, 1430 Madison just above 79th. As part of Asia Week it is hosting a show organized by the OnishiGallery, – part of Asia Week NY 2015 (discussed in more detail below). Among the 11 artists whose work is shown, 7 are Japanese National Living Treasures. Simply stunning to realize. Go to their opening, Friday, 6-8pm; we’re delaying our departure from NYC for Ct just to be at this opening – and acknowledge these great artists.
  Lastly, the big news is that Asia Week starts tomorrow in Manhattan. Here are the top three results in searching that – and of course there’s a lot more. Frankly, this is The time to suck in and chew on every dimension of Asian Art. The events are very much on the Upper East Side. Pay attention to artcards.cc – for some many show up there. And of course the new source outlined at the start of this post, larryqualls.blogspot.com, may be very helpful. Qualls seems like the kind of guy who at least for the day you’re looking would give you a comprehensive overview of what’s being offered.
  • Asia Week New York | March 15

    www.asiaweekny.com/calendar/march-15

    March 13–21, 2015 … Asia Week New York participating dealers and auction houses. See listings and map for various … Art and Devotion: Pathways to the Buddha in Myanmar. 12 pm … P.O. Box 2091, New York, NY 10021. Contact Us  …

  • Asia Week New York

    www.asiaweekny.com/

    Asia Week New York … 2015 PARTICIPANTS. View Dealer Roster … Fine ChinesePaintings. Tuesday … P.O. Box 2091, New York, NY 10021. Contact Us …

    ‎Dealers – ‎Plan Your Visit – ‎On the Calendar Lecture – ‎Auction Houses
  • Asia Week New York | Plan Your Visit

    www.asiaweekny.com/content/plan-your-visit

    Asia Week New York is a nine-day celebration of Asian art throughout metropolitan New … The 2015 edition kicks off on Friday, March 13th with many dealers launching their … We look forward to seeing you on the streets of New York City!

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