1 post tagged “metropolitan museum of art”
On July 13, the New York Times reported that Damien Hirst's "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living" (otherwise known as the second version of the preserved shark floating in the formaldehyde-filled tank) would be moving to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Labor Day.
This is a big, bold leap for the usually conservative Met, and hopefully a sign of renewed interest and commitment to showcasing contemporary art in the context of the entire history of art.
What's especially surprising to me is that Philippe de Montebello, current director of the Met, is actually letting this happen. Let's recall his 1999 NY Times Op-Ed piece complimenting Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for his "aesthetic sensibilities" and how he refers to the "Sensation" exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art -- where the shark made its first state-side appearance -- as nothing more than a "collection of bad art." (Note: I would link to the Op-Ed piece, but it has mysteriously disappeared from the Met's Web site). Perhaps the director has since realized that his job is to present the public with different and challenging works of art so that we may make our own decisions about it? (Because I'm sure it has nothing to do with publicity or increasing museum attendance).
This is a big, bold leap for the usually conservative Met, and hopefully a sign of renewed interest and commitment to showcasing contemporary art in the context of the entire history of art.
What's especially surprising to me is that Philippe de Montebello, current director of the Met, is actually letting this happen. Let's recall his 1999 NY Times Op-Ed piece complimenting Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for his "aesthetic sensibilities" and how he refers to the "Sensation" exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art -- where the shark made its first state-side appearance -- as nothing more than a "collection of bad art." (Note: I would link to the Op-Ed piece, but it has mysteriously disappeared from the Met's Web site). Perhaps the director has since realized that his job is to present the public with different and challenging works of art so that we may make our own decisions about it? (Because I'm sure it has nothing to do with publicity or increasing museum attendance).
