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If you don't know what the Barnes Museum is, you've probably heard about the litigated sideshow that led to its anticipated relocation.
In short, here's what happened:
Rich guy had a lot of art. Rich guy put the art in a big house. Rich guy died. Rich guy's will said the art couldn't move.
Simple, right?
Well the will that didn't account for inflation, allow the museum to profit, or predict that the internet would be a better investment than railroads. So there we were. A big house was full of priceless art that no one could see.
Whether or not you agree with the legal outcome allowing the art to be moved to a new museum on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the hearing is over. But on the Main Line, wealth and old money don't like to take "no" for an answer and have little sympathy for the cash strapped burdens of its neighbors to the east.
Although tax payers invested millions in a new museum under the court ordered decision that the art be moved, the Friends of the Barnes Foundation are back in court, and its costing us money.
You don't have to be an art buff for this to piss you off.
The Barnes collection is astounding. With more Cezannes than Paris, people should be fighting over this. But the fight should be over.
What these activists fail to recognize is the threshold of Barnes' will. Long-term wills often come with an expiration date. I could put a billion dollars in a trust, freeze my head, and ask to be reanimated in 2000 years, but technology and money don't guarantee anything.
Under the governance of Barnes' will, the museum is not sustainable in its current location. Even with grants and donations, following the technicalities of a decades old and hastily drawn will, eventually this art would find itself locked away in an abandoned mansion.
Jumping on the Robert Venturi bandwagon, a hack of a different sort has come out against the relocated Barnes Museum. This time in the form of the condescendingly elitist New York Times' architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff. Say what you will about Inga Saffron (Philadelphia Inquirer Architecture Critic and Pulitzer Prize Nominee), but she will tell you what she likes and why and spends the bulk of her articles discussing aesthetics rather than dwelling in the politics of "art". She engages all of her readers, allowing them to understand design instead of pretentiously trying to make those outside the art circle feel like slack jawed troglodytes for disagreeing. She's real.
Ouroussoff not only dislikes the design, he dislikes that the collection is being reloacated from Lower Merion. Apparently such a collection serves our culture better when limited to a knowledgeable art community rather than available to the urban public and tour busses. Aside from which he's clearly done no research into the reasons behind the move, and the problems between the current museum and the county. He's also done no research into the philosophy behind the design of the building in the grounds, meant to replicate the entire experience in the original location, a replication mandated as a requirement with the move.
This article reeks of jealousy more than anything.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/arts/design/07barnes.html?_r=2&hpw
Robert Venturi - one of a handful of late 20th century architectural hacks including Graves and Gehry - has thrown himself in as the latest thorn in the ass of moving the Barnes Museum to the Parkway. Is it just bad timing that he waited for the release of the rendering to express his grievance over the museum's move from Lower Marion or is something else going on. Where was he for the past five years? Could his pride be just a little hurt at the release of Tod Williams and Billie Tsien's graceful design for the new Barnes Museum on the Parkway?
I will admit, in the face of a recession, library closings, and a potential arts and culture tax, $200M does seem a bit excessive. And from the looks of the building, I can't see where the bulk of the expense lies. On the other hand some of our greatest cultural and architectural gifts are granted by public funds during economic down times.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/10/architect-robert-venturi-slams-proposed-barnes-foundation-move.html
A rendering for the long awaited move of the Barnes Foundation to the Parkway will be released this Wednesday. The design of the current gallery is to be replicated in the new structure, and although it's being held confidential, the building will also contain a cafe, bookstore, and auditorium. I'm curious what's going to happen with the original building?
