What the christ is this? I'm not sure what the Whitney should do, but I know that this isn't going to endear anyone to the idea that 600K is going to a good cause by putting up ugly disjointed vinyl graphics on things. This I expect from the students who design work for (insert town here) window project. I hope the other three artists will have more success.
Edward Winkleman seems to have a similar problems processing the details behind the proposed new Whitney space as I do. I think the trap he talks about is the same advice given to contestants on the game show, wait, I mean important cultural launching pad that is Project Runway. Make it more, and push yourself. You have to have a unique Identity™ and be able to surprise the judges.
They are bored with you and know everything about you before you have your first line finished. One piece of clothing is a whole season to them. The next week you have to have another "new line" as one piece. The new gallery space needs to served the function of presenting art as much as satisfy the vocal minority of critics who will pan whatever is put up.
To continue my exploration of the ethics, for the museum, the space has to serve two masters. You can't win. Something is compromised. If the space is a white cube, you get panned for falling back on old presentation memes. If you go Bibao with your new space, you will get panned for the failure that is inherent to starchitecture. So a compromise is always staring at you. Choose the red or blue pill and you are sacrificing something. The museum's ethics demand you find a third road and keep the professionals who need to work in this space happy and the critical public happy.
Consider this: the original Breuer building was born of Starchitecture. It created this situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment