Day at the Museum (with out Ben Stiller)

OMG, this past Monday I had the good fortune to meet Arnold Lehman, Director of The Brooklyn Museum.  Ellen Schweber, the Editorial Director of Musée Magazine, & myself went to the museum with the intention of asking Arnold to be in Musée Magazine’s Issue No.2 and he said YES!  Arnold is “the peoples Museum Director,” he courts controversy through his risk taking decisions, has his pulse on the Brooklyn community which he nurtures & views as his extended family, is funny, speaks his truth candidly  with a deep knowledge of his subject and with integrity.  I like him a lot & am looking forward to the interview.

The museum was closed;  we were given a private tour by one of the Museums curators & saw 2 exhibits;  Hide/Seek; The Difference & Desire in American portraiture which focuses on themes of gender & sexuality in modern portraiture.  This is a major exhibition profound & timely with many great works & surprises. The other being Sanford Bigger: Sweet Funk-An Introspective & boy is it ever.  This NY based artist challenges & reinterprets symbols & legacies which inform contemporary America & the black experience.  There is a tree log hung across the walls with dangling ropes.
A small cut out in the log is fit with a small video screen.  The video entices the viewer to come & look & to put the rope around ones neck, in other words to lynch oneself.  The curator pointed out that whites are the majority of attendees.  This piece is terrifying, with a visceral punch & an emotional wallop that overwhelms.

Seeing art when the museum is closed is a trans-formative experience; space & time allows for a concentration unattainable in crowded circumstances.

On another subject, Musée Magazine has been receiving terrific submissions for our fear themed issue.  Due to the holiday we’ve extended the deadline to Jan. 15th.
We also posted some new photos in our Art Out section; Book signing with Patrick Demarchelier at Dior & The Launch of The Valentino Garavani Virtual Museum.
Good news for you future event photographers, Musée is now accepting photographs of NY art openings & events.  Only quality images will be accepted with subject names & location, in return for on page credit.

Musée has some exciting news coming soon, so keep checking in www.museemagazine.com.

From an upcoming exhibition of Andrea Blanch’s Portrait of America, the great Joan Buck as The Judge!