We Don't Need Curators Anymore; We Have Banks

by Judith H. Dobrzynski  •  Aug 25, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Cross-posted from ArtsJournal.com

http://www.judithdobrzynski.com/2009/08/we-dont-need-curators-anymore-we-have-banks

Darned if reading "And Now, An Exhibition From Our Sponsor," the article by Robin Pogrebin that ran in Sunday's New York Times, didn't put me in a bad mood.

It described how many museums -- small ones in particular, with less wherewithal, like the new Millenium Gate Museum in Atlanta -- were eager to show exhibitions drawn from the collection of Bank of America, packaged (ok, curated) by the bank, and sponsored by the bank. Since B of A began this practice -- a marketing tool -- in 2007, it has placed nearly two dozen shows, and has another 16 set for the next two years. "And," the article says, "there is a waiting list."

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