Artist Goes On Tirade After Visitors Manhandle Artworks

www.maxestenger.blogspot.com:

Today, I decided to pay one more visit to the de Kooning retrospective at the MoMA before it closes for good next week. Having lived here for over 20 years, I know that the MoMA has become almost impossible to visit except on Tuesdays when it is closed to the public and various art educator events go on. I have been to crowded museums in many places, but what I witnessed today was unprecedented--artwork being manhandled by adults and children and guards letting it happen.

Read the whole story: www.maxestenger.blogspot.com

Comments

[N133]

01:51 PM on 12/30/2011

Children around art should be behaved or leashed. Unless you personally own the artworks.

[Todd Kruse]

03:25 AM on 12/30/2011

I think he's right.... no touching the art, and keep the noise level down

[N133]

01:50 PM on 12/30/2011

I think he's right too -- what's wrong with keeping a line around the block if so many people want to go?

There are some wonderful artworks which support touching and participation (by D Judd and others) and there are some that DO NOT. I can't stand it when people get too close to certain artworks...

[Bucket-Of-Love]

10:41 PM on 12/29/2011

Tirade? Really?

[Mat Gleason]

05:17 PM on 12/29/2011

This essay is Christ clearing the Temple 2,000 years (and with better art) later.

[CTDFalconer]

05:38 PM on 12/30/2011

I think that's gives him too much credit. This looks like so much un-Christ-like bellyaching to me. While I don't like to go to big art shows so much because of the crowds, I like that the crowds are there. They are a palpable demonstration of the vitality of the art world in general. Clearly the works should be protected from destruction, but major works like those are always valuable enough that the owners and gallerists will repair any damage to protect their investment. It appears that the blogger would prefer to wander through echoing chambers to meditate with the art, but if that's what the big museums were always like, we could write the art world's obit right now. My suggestion to the writer would be to stay away from the big shows and go find the emerging artists whose works will hang in the big shows decades hence. That's where the real excitement is.

[whaat]

10:43 AM on 12/31/2011

I agree with the second part of your comment completely - go to to the art studios and use your own opinion to support art you love - bet on your own taste

but - when a museum like MOMA allows photography (little known fact - too much flashbulbs can damage some sensitive art materials) and touching of the art - then it gives permission with its authority for visitors to do the same in artists studios, and justification for their indignation when an artists asks for respect for their work in a manner that MOMA doesnt support.

Also, in a majority of professional galleries photography and touching are forbidden and rules enforced