The New Weston Wing

This post
celebrates the new Weston Wing
of Japanese art
primarily
for how its wide aisles
better accomodates
the stools carried in
by educational groups.

My unpublishable review
for New City
deplored its anticeptic aesthetic
and the de-sanctification
of the Ando Gallery
by removing its heavy glass doors.

This "Guest Blogger" post
also informs us that the
Ando's lighting was also changed.

But since the gallery has no lighting
(except within the cases)
I asked just what those changes
might have been.

And apparently this question
remains too difficult to answer.

A Case Lift

This post
discussed
how the shelves
were stained
in the new tea-bowl display case.

Mostly,
I just ignore these trips
"behind the scenes".

But this one interested me
because
as much as I enjoy the
new display of Japanese tea bowls,
I also miss the former display
of Korean calligraphy.


All of the new space
now given to Japanese material
was taken away from
the Chinese and Korean displays,
which is especially regrettable,
since the museum recently increased
its floor space so much
by adding the Modern Wing.

That's the real
"behind the scenes"
story here,
and apparently it was done
to accomodate a major donor.

Show Me the Monet

This post
explored the legal issue involved
when others use text and images
that the A.I.C. has under copyright.

Being a tourist attraction,
like, say, Wrigley Field,
the A.I.C. is a rather obvious subject
for those who make tourist paraphernalia.

And if someone put the Cubs logo
onto a coffee mug or t-shirt
one would expect that the Cubs
need to approve the design and be paid for its use.

But what about our art museum,
which is a private corporation,
but also a not-for-profit
on public property
with the purpose
of educating people about art?

Doesn't the above image
further that goal?

After some discussion,
it was explained that
"The key issue would be the likelihood of confusion
as to source or sponsorship"


Apparently,
that confusion was avoided
by changing the type-font
or inserting a copyright symbol.

But I don't see how.

And while protecting their own copy rights,
it's more than a little ironic
that the A.I.C. gives no credit
to the living artist who designed the above image
that was reproduced on its blog.

(and beyond giving that person credit,
they might consider
commissioning him or her
to illustrate their own
promotional literature )

The Wolf on the Wall

Here's
a post about the
upcoming exhibit
Soviet war posters.

I queried why
Russian Impressionism
was never given
a special exhbit.

Wouldn't such paintings
be appropriate
for a museum
that specializes
in French Impressionism?

I could have added
that no other genre
of Russian art
(other than Icons)
has ever been given
a special exhibit
at the A.I.C.

And I also could have added
that no Russian art
of any kind
is currently on display
except
for the early 20th C.
avant Garde (Kandinsky etc)

This really is an oversite
in a museum
that claims to be
"encyclopedic",
but is just following
the curatorial fashion
of the American artworld.

Hopefully,
this enthusiasm
for the propaganda posters
will carry over
to Soviet painting and sculpture.

Like most of my queries,
this one went un-answered,
but I do notice
that a month later
someone asked me
when the Tass exhibit would occur.

Unfortunately,
since her name was linked
to a website
that sells hearing aids,
I fear that she
was spamming the blog.
(while assuming that
many of us
were old enough
to need her products)

A Pope, a Fish, and a Puzzle

I don't care for puzzle play,
and why would anyone who did
follow the A.I.C. blog
to find good, challenging ones?

But, nevertheless,
the staff who blogs


here

must find them to be
a pleasant diversion
from what is probably
a tedious job.


And neither the blogger,
nor anyone else,
is interested
in the issues
my comment raised
concerning
the A.I.C.'s collection
of Persian art.