"The announcement was the culmination of a competition that was criticized as opaque by some arts and community leaders and was drawn out by a clash of interests over what constituency culture should serve at ground zero: Tourists looking for something to do at night after visiting the memorial? Families of the victims seeking art that will honor their lost loved ones? Neighborhood residents who want services like after-school art classes for their children? Or culture hounds craving a new downtown arts destination?
Development officials said yesterday that they had aimed at all of the above.
"This is sacred ground," Mr. Pataki said. "We wanted to have cultural institutions that would reflect our pride, our courage."
NYTimes, June 11, 2004.
I am worried about compromise.
The entire WTC project, from the architecture, the memorial and now the institutions, has been mired with trying to be all things to all people. Fine a Freedom Center (what is that by the way? Sure, okay we have 'Freedom' Museums that focus on historically significant and painful scars, like slavery and the holocaust. But what is a Freedom Center that has “exhibitions centered on humankind’s enduring quest for freedom” – by what - and whose! -definition? I imagine something like an Army recruitment center? A propaganda museum for Bush? Well, that is another 'rant'..) but the Joyce, the Drawing Center, Signature? These are less than mainstream institutions. I personally really enjoy the Drawing Center (I have linked here to a Penone show they recently curated). But the Drawing Center’s mission is one of a deeper, more curatorial, more historical perspective. It is also a place that defines itself by its audience of artists. It is a study center of sorts. I worry they will have to compromise their vision in order to appease an international tourist mecca. How does this institution “reflect our pride, our courage?” Same with Signature and the Joyce? The Joyce creates programming for a targeted audience (now with about 400 seats) as does Signature, “a 13-year-old house known for its season-long showcases devoted to one playwright.” Do we really think that a tourist will be attracted to a season’s worth of Sam Shepard? (But maybe I am wrongly underestimating “the tourist”? Please tell me I am biased). I will mourn the loss of the Drawing Center. Although I should really wait and see, I fear we are going to lose 3 more interesting institutions to the Disneyfication of New York and concurrently perpetuate the national false need for "blockbuster.".
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Development officials said yesterday that they had aimed at all of the above.
"This is sacred ground," Mr. Pataki said. "We wanted to have cultural institutions that would reflect our pride, our courage."
NYTimes, June 11, 2004.
I am worried about compromise.
The entire WTC project, from the architecture, the memorial and now the institutions, has been mired with trying to be all things to all people. Fine a Freedom Center (what is that by the way? Sure, okay we have 'Freedom' Museums that focus on historically significant and painful scars, like slavery and the holocaust. But what is a Freedom Center that has “exhibitions centered on humankind’s enduring quest for freedom” – by what - and whose! -definition? I imagine something like an Army recruitment center? A propaganda museum for Bush? Well, that is another 'rant'..) but the Joyce, the Drawing Center, Signature? These are less than mainstream institutions. I personally really enjoy the Drawing Center (I have linked here to a Penone show they recently curated). But the Drawing Center’s mission is one of a deeper, more curatorial, more historical perspective. It is also a place that defines itself by its audience of artists. It is a study center of sorts. I worry they will have to compromise their vision in order to appease an international tourist mecca. How does this institution “reflect our pride, our courage?” Same with Signature and the Joyce? The Joyce creates programming for a targeted audience (now with about 400 seats) as does Signature, “a 13-year-old house known for its season-long showcases devoted to one playwright.” Do we really think that a tourist will be attracted to a season’s worth of Sam Shepard? (But maybe I am wrongly underestimating “the tourist”? Please tell me I am biased). I will mourn the loss of the Drawing Center. Although I should really wait and see, I fear we are going to lose 3 more interesting institutions to the Disneyfication of New York and concurrently perpetuate the national false need for "blockbuster.".
- selma 6-11-2004 7:47 pm