Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Arkansas Culture and Characters Crystal Bridges gets a Rothko; art snobs get a poke
Posted by Max Brantley on Tue, Sep 25, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Case in point. She reports today on acquisition of a Rothko work by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Walton art temple in Bentonville. Nice. But what's interesting is her exposure of how the East Coast bigshots reported the news and the shifting standards by which they view the effort to build a major arts institution out here in the sticks.
The Wall Street Journal took the same tack in its story, "A Rothko Fills a Museum's Breach."Here's one way of looking at those headlines: that the art world, which once ridiculed the notion that a first-rate museum could be located in Arkansas, then produced accolades about the collection, now demands Crystal Bridges be even better. I'm not sure I remember the museum being criticized for whatever it lacks in color field and New York School works, though the baby steps into the post-war work in the collection was noted.
At any rate, I don't think Alice Walton bought a Rothko in response to art reviews. I think she was waiting, as was director Don Bacigalupi, until she decided upon which Rothko to buy from what was available. When she buys a large Frankenthaler, it won't be because I wrote here that the museum's 20th century collection is frail without it.
Well observed. I think the Crystal Bridges buzz — along with the buying power that relocates master works to darkest Arkansas — really bugs some East Coast elites. Boo hoo. It's a boon to Arkansas. In October, it happens that I'll be part of a group of nine people, most flying from eastern states, who'll rent cars and motel rooms and buy food and a drink or two to visit Crystal Bridges and maybe venture off into quainter territory, like Eureka Springs, over their long weekend. I have a feeling they're not the first.
Speaking of Crystal Bridges Museum Of American Art, Rothko
-
Offbeat at Bentonville's 21c Hotel
May 9, 2013New art-obsessed hotel opens with bike tricks and parkour, naturally. /more/
-
"Genre Painting and Everyday Life," "Genre Scenes on Paper" open Saturday
May 8, 2013And museum extends Saturday hours for Norman Rockwell exhibit. /more/
-
Keith Haring sculpture debuts at Crystal Bridges
April 24, 2013The graffiti artist's depiction of a two-headed creature is installed on the grounds. /more/
-
Two from the Louvre at CBM
April 15, 2013Joining American genre paintings for traveling exhibit. /more/
-
Villareal's "Buckyball" on loan to Crystal Bridges
April 4, 2013On May 2, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will install its first temporary sculpture. /more/
-
A little bit more on Warhol, etc.
March 26, 2013Eye Candy has been swamped with other duties at the Times and so is a bit late posting this news about the five acquisitions Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art recently announced. /more/
- More »
Comments (8)
Showing 1-8 of 8
More by Max Brantley
-
Benghazi, the new Whitewater
Ernie Dumas this week compares the fulminations about Benghazi, which Republicans are attempting to make an impeachment-worthy scandal of minute differences in post-attack talking points, with the cooked-up Whitewater investigations.
- May 14, 2013
-
Raging against the dark night in Arkansas from Australia
It's a bright and sunny 80 degrees in Sydney, Australia, a gorgeous and progressive city that I'll depart in a few hours for a long and roundabout journey home, with arrival mid-afternoon Sunday, Little Rock time, after a leg to Tokyo, a leg to Dallas and one last jump north toward home.
- Mar 16, 2013
- More »
Readers also liked…
-
Fresh tomato time is here
Heirloom tomato season is like Christmas in the springtime
- Jun 12, 2012
-
Oxford American wins grant for Main Street restaurant and venue
The Oxford American magazine has won a $290,000 grant to transform its new headquarters on Main Street (in Juanita's former home) as a place for the arts, built around a branded restaurant featuring Southern cooking.
- Jun 12, 2012
-
Greenwood rodeo includes abuse of Obama effigy
40/29 offers a report, with photo, of a rodeo in Greenwood, where an effigy of President Obama was knocked around by a bull and then kicked by a rodeo clown.
- Jul 4, 2012
People who saved…
Event Calendar
-
Re: Gov. Beebe says he'll appoint treasurer soon
Prediction: Governor Beebe will pick someone who is old, white, male, and served with him…
- on May 22, 2013
-
Re: ExxonMobil has a plan for Lake Maumelle watershed
I didn't give Centerpoint enough credit. This file of correspondence shows that they've been planning…
- on May 22, 2013
-
Re: Will the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce press a 'tort reform' initiative?
Paint tort reform as a "One-Size-Fits-All" "Government regulation" that empowers a "Bureaucrat" to determine how…
- on May 22, 2013
Top Commenters
Blogroll
Slideshows
-
May 16, 2013
Site Index
News
Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters
Entertainment
A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings
This Week's Cover
Quick Links
Special Publications
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
