1.27.2010

Gotta love museum board members that care about their own interests instead of the care of the museum which they've been entrusted with.

I am all too familiar with museum board member politics. Fortunately, the members whom I've worked with that have gotten involved with museum programming are actually involved with the arts and their exhibits not only followed the museum's mission, but were also very successful.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum's mission statement:

The mission of the Grand Rapids Art Museum is to provide a gathering place where people of all ages and backgrounds can enrich their lives through interaction with authentic works of art of the finest quality in a thought-provoking and creative way. In order to nourish and delight the mind and spirit, the Museum collects, conserves, educates, and interprets.

Their upcoming exhibit opening in November: Diana -- a Celebration.

"
The exhibition that has drawn audiences averaging 90,000 to other cities, according to Pamella DeVos, an honorary life trustee of the museum, who made the announcement Monday in the museum.

"Her charm, beauty and easy grace touched many people in her short, complex life," DeVos said.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum, which drew just under 105,000 visitors over 12 months from October 2008 to October 2009, will have the show from before Thanksgiving through Valentine's Day in February 2011.

"We believe it'll attract and inspire thousands of women from all over the state and beyond," DeVos said."

According to the article, the cost of bringing the exhibit to the museum is unknown. Is it ethical to spend so much money to bring a popular culture/historical exhibit instead of raising money for a blockbuster art exhibit? If they were able to raise that kind of money to host a great exhibit, they could surely draw equally large crowds.

I don't know Pamella DeVos's background, but she certainly does not give the impression of knowing her place in supporting an art museum.

5 comments:

  1. so what is this show? photos? artist renderings? letters? Sounds dated to me.

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  2. "An exhibition of 150 items spanning her entire life, from intimate, home movies of her childhood to her royal wedding gown seen on TV by nearly 1 billion people..."

    "Family heirlooms, such as a gold and silver tiara from the 1830s, and personal mementos, such as a stuffed gingham frog that Diana kept on her bed as a child, are included along with 28 designer dresses and outfits, from body armor she wore in public, to the Jacques Azagury evening gown she wore on her 36th birthday, her last public appearance in July 1997."

    "which includes the original text of the eulogy [her brother the Earl Charles Spencer] gave at her funeral in 1997, as well as the manuscript of the song, "Candle in the Wind 1997," Elton John performed at the ceremony with new lyrics written by his songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin, in Diana's memory."

    SO dated.

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  3. that ain't contemporary fine art, baby! that's the stuff for historical museums. boring.

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  4. That's a bunch of pussies letting the big boss throw her money around.

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  5. you wanna help me curate a show, I may have a venue. contact me on facebook and I'll give you the details.

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