More Loose LACMA/Broad Thoughts/Questions

Just assorted thoughts, some inspired by others.  I’m better at thinking up questions about this sort of thing than answers, but I can say that in the past few days I’ve heard some really diverse, conflicting and interesting perspectives on the LACMA/Broad situation.

#1 – Will this end up in court?  Who knew what about the Broad decision and when?  Who, Broad and LACMA are exactly obligated to what?

#2 – What’s the fate of Jeff Koon’s Train?  The erection of Train would have permanently enshrined Koons place in art history, not to mention fluffing the value of works in private collections, including Broad’s…  I know there’s a large body of people who already believe that the piece is both stupid and inappropriate – will LACMA back out of its interest in the piece?  And the Ahmanson Foundation has put up $1 million to study the feasibility of the piece…

#3 – Will any institution ever (voluntarily) work with Broad directly again?  Does Broad care?  Even if Broad isn’t directly screwing LACMA with his decision – perception is reality.

#4 – Is Michael Govan a “one funder” director?  There’s an interesting parallel between Govan’s relationship with super-patron Riggio at the Dia and LACMA’s relationship to Eli Broad?

$5 – Silver lining?  Did Broad just free LACMA from his influence?  Is this LACMA’s opportunity in disguise to grow up?

Also, Former Metropolitan Museum of Art director Thomas Hoving weighs in, in the LA Times – LACMA’s Loss That Isn’t

Oh, and some good news – LACMA revealed Janice and Henri Lazarof’s promised gift of 130 “mostly Modernist” works to LACMA, Edward Wyatt, New York Times – For Los Angeles Museum, a Transformative Gift of Modernists, Chrstopher Knight, LA Times – LACMA’s Classy Redesign Puts Focus on Modern Art

Technorati Tags: LACMA, Eli Broad, art, art museum, gift, museum, Jeff Koons,