Comments on: The Art of the Steal http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:43:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Nick Tinari http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-1272 Nick Tinari Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:49:40 +0000 http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439#comment-1272 To tom b and judith, your arguments are not based in fact. the barnes in merion was entirely solvent prior to the rampant overspending in the 1990s that was in violation of the indenture of trust and abetted by the deputy attorney general who turned a blind eye. As for public visitation there were many days and still are when the galleries are empty. the new building is supposed to replicate the original rooms. if that actually happens then the new building will be not accept any more visitors than the original one. 2 million visitors per year is absurd and demonstrates ignorance of the size of the galleries and reasonable numbers of people in them. the art of the steal merely documented what happened it is not an advocacy piece any more than "Romero", about the murdered archbishop of san salvador is. your pseudo-populist argument about who the art belongs to is also nonsense. had barnes not believed that his indenture would be upheld, there would be no collection. the intent of the collector was to create a school, there was nothing illegal or immoral about that and that should have been preserved by the trustees whose duty it was to honor the terms of the indenture, not sell out to the highest bidder. what is behind everyone of these "art belongs to the people" arguments is basically that you want to be able to see it on your own schedule after you've sipped your latte and parked your hummer. well real experience is oftentimes something that is earned and a little discomfort in the process is not a bad thing. go talk to the pope about public access to the sistina ! finally, no, dr. barnes would not be pleased with this outcome. he spent a lifetime designing a school, not a museum and did everything he could to keep the collection from becoming one. To tom b and judith, your arguments are not based in fact. the barnes in merion was entirely solvent prior to the rampant overspending in the 1990s that was in violation of the indenture of trust and abetted by the deputy attorney general who turned a blind eye.

As for public visitation there were many days and still are when the galleries are empty. the new building is supposed to replicate the original rooms. if that actually happens then the new building will be not accept any more visitors than the original one. 2 million visitors per year is absurd and demonstrates ignorance of the size of the galleries and reasonable numbers of people in them.

the art of the steal merely documented what happened it is not an advocacy piece any more than “Romero”, about the murdered archbishop of san salvador is.

your pseudo-populist argument about who the art belongs to is also nonsense. had barnes not believed that his indenture would be upheld, there would be no collection. the intent of the collector was to create a school, there was nothing illegal or immoral about that and that should have been preserved by the trustees whose duty it was to honor the terms of the indenture, not sell out to the highest bidder. what is behind everyone of these “art belongs to the people” arguments is basically that you want to be able to see it on your own schedule after you’ve sipped your latte and parked your hummer. well real experience is oftentimes something that is earned and a little discomfort in the process is not a bad thing. go talk to the pope about public access to the sistina !

finally, no, dr. barnes would not be pleased with this outcome. he spent a lifetime designing a school, not a museum and did everything he could to keep the collection from becoming one.

]]> By: Art (on) Film Series Kicks Off « Renew Movie Blog http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-1193 Art (on) Film Series Kicks Off « Renew Movie Blog Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:08:42 +0000 http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439#comment-1193 [...] at the struggling artist in a narrative manner, analyzing their creative processes and demons.  The Art of the Steal, Herb and Dorothy, and Rivers and Tides use the documentary medium to explore their subjects and [...] [...] at the struggling artist in a narrative manner, analyzing their creative processes and demons.  The Art of the Steal, Herb and Dorothy, and Rivers and Tides use the documentary medium to explore their subjects and [...]

]]> By: Tom B http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-1130 Tom B Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:55:06 +0000 http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439#comment-1130 The Inquirer had a really good article this week about wills and bequests, quoting a number of legal experts, and the fact is: Wills are broken all the time. Times change. Stephen Girard clearly intended that his bequest only benefit white boys -- that's not operative today in a society that believes in racial and gender equality. Was breaking the Girard bequest a "steal?" Even if it was Dr. Barnes' true intention that his paintings be bottled up and inaccessible, it's not the obligation of society to respect that intention in perpetuity. What if Dr. Barnes, in a final act of bitterness, willed that his Cezannes be burned at his tomb on the anniversary of his death? Would the folks who made this film be cheering at the bonfire? The point is the collection is a LOT bigger than Dr. Barnes, and the power of a will does not overrule all other things. It would serve all of us to give Dr. Barnes the benefit of the doubt and imagine him with a big heart, imagine that he would be thrilled to see his collection welcome 2 million visitors a year. In the 20s and 30s, when Barnes and Cone Sisters of Baltimore were buying their Cezannes and Picassos and Matisses, these paintings were scorned by a narrow minded elite. Now interestingly a different narrow minded elite is trying to get between these paintings and the millions of people whose lives will be richer for having seen them. Funny how things turn out. The Inquirer had a really good article this week about wills and bequests, quoting a number of legal experts, and the fact is: Wills are broken all the time. Times change. Stephen Girard clearly intended that his bequest only benefit white boys — that’s not operative today in a society that believes in racial and gender equality. Was breaking the Girard bequest a “steal?”

Even if it was Dr. Barnes’ true intention that his paintings be bottled up and inaccessible, it’s not the obligation of society to respect that intention in perpetuity. What if Dr. Barnes, in a final act of bitterness, willed that his Cezannes be burned at his tomb on the anniversary of his death? Would the folks who made this film be cheering at the bonfire?

The point is the collection is a LOT bigger than Dr. Barnes, and the power of a will does not overrule all other things.

It would serve all of us to give Dr. Barnes the benefit of the doubt and imagine him with a big heart, imagine that he would be thrilled to see his collection welcome 2 million visitors a year.

In the 20s and 30s, when Barnes and Cone Sisters of Baltimore were buying their Cezannes and Picassos and Matisses, these paintings were scorned by a narrow minded elite. Now interestingly a different narrow minded elite is trying to get between these paintings and the millions of people whose lives will be richer for having seen them. Funny how things turn out.

]]> By: Evelyn Yaari http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-1116 Evelyn Yaari Thu, 25 Mar 2010 03:09:46 +0000 http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439#comment-1116 After Teh Art of the Steal last week at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, a man spoke to me about his Barnes experience. The first time he went, he was totally bowled over from the moment he entered the main gallery. When he left that day, he felt that the Barnes was his personal estate. When he returns, he feels it is to see "his" art. I think tthis experience gets to the real essence of what Albert Barnes hoped to leave as his legacy, not so much about art per se, but about the experience of art in a democracy. It is for the whole world, but it goes beyond the art hanging on those burlap walls. I think its real purpose was to have EveryMan interact with art as part of life, but Dr. Barnes did want people to take it seriously and put some thought and purposefulness into it. A note to Tom: the Barnes is authorized to have at least 144,000 people a year PLUS groups of school students. The current board is doing little to open things up to bring in that number of people. They could be open every day when classes aren't in session, but they don't. Now, they've closed a bunch of rooms, leave the blinds down to give things an unpleasant atmosphere. They are being creepy, dishonest. After Teh Art of the Steal last week at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, a man spoke to me about his Barnes experience. The first time he went, he was totally bowled over from the moment he entered the main gallery. When he left that day, he felt that the Barnes was his personal estate. When he returns, he feels it is to see “his” art. I think tthis experience gets to the real essence of what Albert Barnes hoped to leave as his legacy, not so much about art per se, but about the experience of art in a democracy. It is for the whole world, but it goes beyond the art hanging on those burlap walls. I think its real purpose was to have EveryMan interact with art as part of life, but Dr. Barnes did want people to take it seriously and put some thought and purposefulness into it. A note to Tom: the Barnes is authorized to have at least 144,000 people a year PLUS groups of school students. The current board is doing little to open things up to bring in that number of people. They could be open every day when classes aren’t in session, but they don’t. Now, they’ve closed a bunch of rooms, leave the blinds down to give things an unpleasant atmosphere. They are being creepy, dishonest.

]]> By: John L. Jones http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-1106 John L. Jones Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:19:10 +0000 http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439#comment-1106 My previous comments were written before I saw the movie. I know that the movie is clearly biased, but I haven't changed my mind. The end does not justify the means. The argument that more people will be able to see the Barnes collection misses the point. This is about a person's Will and wishes. There is nothing illegal in the Barnes Will. As I previoously stated, I was on the Board of Directors of a charitable foundation. The Executor of the will of one of the founders played fast and loose with a considerable amount of money willed to the foundation. One of the board members said "what does the deceased care, she's dead." My previous comments were written before I saw the movie. I know that the movie is clearly biased, but I haven’t changed my mind. The end does not justify the means. The argument that more people will be able to see the Barnes collection misses the point. This is about a person’s Will and wishes. There is nothing illegal in the Barnes Will. As I previoously stated, I was on the Board of Directors of a charitable foundation. The Executor of the will of one of the founders played fast and loose with a considerable amount of money willed to the foundation. One of the board members said “what does the deceased care, she’s dead.”

]]> By: Judith http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-1102 Judith Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:10:45 +0000 http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439#comment-1102 I agree completely with Tom B. The importance of these paintings at this time in history supersedes any one person's quirky theories of how they should be viewed. These masterpieces deserve to be protected, lighted and displayed properly. The Barnes Foundation can no longer be trusted with this legacy--there simply isn't enough money. Dr. Barnes was a great collector and the art world owes him a debt of gratitude, like many great collectors. I have visited the Barnes several times, both before and after the renovations. It is troubling to anyone used to viewing great art that these masterpices are dirty, cramped, crowded, unlit and underinsured--what would the artists themselves think? I cannot wait to see them libertated from hardware, overcrowding, darkness and burlap at long last! The art come first, not the collector! I agree completely with Tom B. The importance of these paintings at this time in history supersedes any one person’s quirky theories of how they should be viewed. These masterpieces deserve to be protected, lighted and displayed properly. The Barnes Foundation can no longer be trusted with this legacy–there simply isn’t enough money. Dr. Barnes was a great collector and the art world owes him a debt of gratitude, like many great collectors. I have visited the Barnes several times, both before and after the renovations. It is troubling to anyone used to viewing great art that these masterpices are dirty, cramped, crowded, unlit and underinsured–what would the artists themselves think? I cannot wait to see them libertated from hardware, overcrowding, darkness and burlap at long last! The art come first, not the collector!

]]> By: John L. Jones http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-1039 John L. Jones Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:25:49 +0000 http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439#comment-1039 I believe that a person's Will should be executed as wished. I was on the Board of Directors of a charitable foundation and witnessed how a person's wishes can be ignored. Unless the provisions of the Will violate civil rights, as in the case of Girard College, the Will should be executed as it is written. I believe that a person’s Will should be executed as wished. I was on the Board of Directors of a charitable foundation and witnessed how a person’s wishes can be ignored. Unless the provisions of the Will violate civil rights, as in the case of Girard College, the Will should be executed as it is written.

]]> By: joan http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-987 joan Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:26:59 +0000 http://www.renewtheaters.org/blog/?p=439#comment-987 oh Tom,,, you are so misinformed about the Barnes Foundation and the true wish of Dr. Barnes, which is stated in his will, and precisely the opposite of what you belive. the art is for the few are lovers and those who truly want to learn more about art who appreciate it in its original environment and NOT for the creedy rich in Phila who just want to profit from it and pretend they are saving it! They dont want to save it at all. if they really cared about the ART they would preserve it where it is, in its original home intended for the art by the collector himself. nothing says that they cant renovate the existing, historical building to accomdate the crowds and protect the art. NO reason to move it to do all that.... at HALF the cost of moving it! "they" are breaking his will and therefore STEALING the art. thank you for your support and interest in the Barnes. oh Tom,,, you are so misinformed about the Barnes Foundation and the true wish of Dr. Barnes, which is stated in his will, and precisely the opposite of what you belive. the art is for the few are lovers and those who truly want to learn more about art who appreciate it in its original environment and NOT for the creedy rich in Phila who just want to profit from it and pretend they are saving it! They dont want to save it at all. if they really cared about the ART they would preserve it where it is, in its original home intended for the art by the collector himself. nothing says that they cant renovate the existing, historical building to accomdate the crowds and protect the art. NO reason to move it to do all that…. at HALF the cost of moving it! “they” are breaking his will and therefore STEALING the art.
thank you for your support and interest in the Barnes.

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