Monday Links

Very interesting article on the Brooklyn Museum. As far as I’m concerned, Montebello hit the nail exactly on the head. I’ve advocated ripping down that ill-conceived, high-end bus depot that was tacked onto the front of the museum since the day they unveiled it. It is all well and good to talk about the diversity of the visitors, but they are not donating significantly (if at all) to the museum. Donations and an increasingly large endowment, in addition to attendance and, of course, a large fine art collection are what make for a great museum. Recent shows, aiming at the lowest possible denominator, only serve to lower the status of the Brooklyn Museum.

As to others who expressed their opinion in the article: Comments by the woman heading BAM are amusing. BAM has gone from having a chamber music series, an orchestral program, classical recitals, and such great visitors as the Bejart Ballet (admittedly a long time ago) to hosting movies and tango events. Out illustrious borough president made only the most inane of comments; one wonders just how deep his interest in great art is or if he could come up with the names of 10 great artists in the space of a minute.

There should be new leadership at the museum, someone with the talent, sophistication, and vision of Montebello, not someone who gives a major collection away to the Met. If not, Brooklyn will end up with a spectacular (albeit grossly defaced) building with a poor excuse for a collection accompanied by low-class programming.

That picture make me hungry! Brighton beach, I assume? Or are we getting a Rego Park/Kew Gardens?

eh, because the story itself is rather inane.