Museum of Fine Arts Developments | Fenway

Shepard said:
I sphere you've gone off on a tangent there, and although your points are plane and solid I also sphere your logic is circular.
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It is only seems circular if your geometry is restricted to Cartesian

a-sphere and therefore I am -- Descartes
 
Shep -- I've got to do some real work and get dinner but -- I will respond to your elipsoidal references when I get a Round To It
 
^ i was there as well this weekend and really felt one of their major issues was that the wing really wasn't "Contemporary Art." Most of the works were from the 1970's through 1990's. Very little was what i would consider Contemporary A.K.A. very recent works. But perhaps that is what the ICA is for.
 
found5dollar said:
^ i was there as well this weekend and really felt one of their major issues was that the wing really wasn't "Contemporary Art." Most of the works were from the 1970's through 1990's. Very little was what i would consider Contemporary A.K.A. very recent works. But perhaps that is what the ICA is for.
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MFA has partitioned Art such that Contemporary means the artist is likely to still be alive -- not necessarily working

Thus you have a major exhibition of the wood work of Elsworth Kelly along with the gift by the BofA of his famous painting

from a recent review in:
Art News
http://www.artnews.com/2011/09/13/ahead-of-the-curve/

Ahead of the Curve
By Lilly Wei Posted 09/13/11
Ellsworth Kelly’s sculpture, subject of a show at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, makes the complex simple and the simple complex

"
The 87-year-old artist recalled how he went to Paris on the G.I. Bill, from 1948 to 1954, immersing himself in Matisse, Picasso, and the European modernists.... Kelly is extremely busy at the moment, with a catalogue raisonné in the works and multiple museum shows scheduled for this year and into next—at the MFA in Boston, the Haus der Kunst and the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The MFA show (September 18 through March 4), titled “Ellsworth Kelly: Wood Sculpture,” includes 19 of the 30 unpainted wood sculptures that the artist made between 1958 and ’96. These are being shown as a group for the first time and constitute a complete cycle, since, Kelly explained, “I won’t be making any more.”

Well known for his paintings, drawings, and prints, Kelly has received little critical attention for his sculptures—an unfortunate oversight that includes this important body of work."

But there things which are close to a dictionary definition of Contemporary including:

The Clock: Christian Marclay September 16, 2011 - October 10, 2011

"A compelling new work created by world-renowned artist Christian Marclay, The Clock (2010), an ode to time and cinema, comprises thousands of fragments from a range of films that create a 24-hour, looped, single-channel video. The Clock tells the accurate time at any given moment, and wherever..."

From MFA Pres Release on the Linde family Wings:
http://www.mfa.org/news/news-events
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Names Druker Pavilion in Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art

The Ives Family Gallery:
Lynda Benglis’s cast aluminum Wing (1970) and the hand-coiled clay work Sinuous
(2010) from Eva Hild.

Catherine and Paul Buttenwieser Gallery: in their name will juxtapose different approaches to contemporary art, featuring Andy Warhol’s Red Disaster (1963/1985), Ellsworth Kelly’s Blue Green and sculpture from artists that include
Tony Smith, Anne Truitt, and Roni Horn.

Towles Gallery:
Louise Lawler’s Is She Ours (1990),
Doug and Mike Starn’s Double Mona Lisa (1985-88) and works by Cindy Sherman and Yasumasa Morimura will also be on view.

Cogan Gallery:
Mona Hatoum’s Grater Divide (2002) and Kara Walker’s The Rich Soil Down There (2002).

Lubin Gallery:
El Anatsui’s Black River (2009), a metallic tapestry, and Josiah McElheny’s Endlessly
Repeating Twentieth Century Modernism (2007).

Krupps Gallery:
For the first time, the MFA will have a dedicated light and sound-blocked space, fully equipped for the presentation of video and new media. The inaugural installation will focus on videos that highlight endurance through the passage of time, such as Carlson/Strom’s Sloss, Kerr, Rosenberg, & Moore (2007), tracing the actions of four New York lawyers over the course of a day.

Daphne and Peter Farago Gallery: which will feature highlights from
the acclaimed Daphne Farago Collection, many of which have never been on view at the Museum.

Hope and Mel Barkan Art Wall featuring a selection of neon works that includes Maurizio
Nannucci’s All Art Has Been Contemporary (1999) and Kader Attia’s sculpture Po(l)etical (2009).

Lisbeth Tarlow and Stephen Kay Art Wall will feature works of the MFA’s 2011 Maud Morgan Prize winner, Cambridge artist Wendy Jacob,

Michael D. Wolk Art Wall will showcase recent contemporary acquisitions


So you are seeing some things from the 1960's e.g. Kelley's color painting and some things from the 2001-2011 decade just ending -- I think that fits the definition of Contemporary
 
Spent about 1 hour in the Linde family aka Pei West Wing this morning

I think that overall I like the new galleries -- not quite ready to comment on all of the contents -- but I did note that a few of my old Contemporary Art favorites are back on display in somewhat new surroundings

Some of the stuff I hope is just a place holder for something better to come later

One of tthe best features is the potential of the large barrel vaulted space to serve as something other than a hallway

My wife was disappointed at the shrinage of the book section of the bookstore/shop -- with the loss of total space resulting in a disproportianate alllocation of space to 'stuff" and less to books -- particularly the lack of the books on sale and reduced prices

ate in the basement cafeteria so still can comment on the revamped Taste or Bravo eeateries

Overall -- for the small money thtthey spent -- much better than I had anticipated -- especially given some of the postings hereabouts

I expect that I'll do more looking at the Contempo Wing when the two big autumn / winter shows open in October

PS: if you want to see a definite waste of good space - catch or don't catch the 5 minute video of a woman standing atop of a watermellon floating in the Dead Sea (e.g. submerged watermelllon, partially submerged fairly close to vertical woman -- lots of water -- shot from underwater -- not much more).
 
datadyne007 said:
Awesome. Yeah, that piece is a lot of fun to photograph and really invokes so many possibilities with its form and light reflection.
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It's nice and it is photogenic-- but A-sphere it fades into oblivion by comparison with my favorite Contemporary work

http://www.mfa.org/magazine/#mcelheny


How many are there?
Josiah McElheny, Endlessly Repeating Twentieth Century Modernism, 2007.
Hand-blown mirrored glass, low iron and transparent mirror, metal, wood, electric lighting.
Museum purchase with funds donated by the Linde Family Foundation.
© Josiah McElheny 2007.
 
whighlander said:
It's nice and it is photogenic-- but A-sphere it fades into oblivion by comparison with my favorite Contemporary work

http://www.mfa.org/magazine/#mcelheny


How many are there?
Josiah McElheny, Endlessly Repeating Twentieth Century Modernism, 2007.
Hand-blown mirrored glass, low iron and transparent mirror, metal, wood, electric lighting.
Museum purchase with funds donated by the Linde Family Foundation.
© Josiah McElheny 2007.
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Yeah that one is definitely cool too. Didn't it used to be on the lower level of the Galleria when it was the West Wing? It was right by the main stairs, right?

It'd be cool if we did an archBoston trip to the MFA actually... we could gawk and argue about the architecture and art at the same time!
 
datadyne007 said:
Yeah that one is definitely cool too. Didn't it used to be on the lower level of the Galleria when it was the West Wing? It was right by the main stairs, right?

It'd be cool if we did an archBoston trip to the MFA actually... we could gawk and argue about the architecture and art at the same time!
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I'm in for that one

PS: -- yes when it was in the more public space next to where people were going and coming from lunch -- you could spend more time taking pictures without attracting too much attention

Specifically while taking pix in the old west wing -- when the bottles were first installed -- I "accidentally" took a flash picture into the work -- most spectacular effect
 
While doing some googling with regard to MFA and PEM for the PEM thread I came across this award to Foster and Partners for the MFA work

http://www.bustler.net/index.php/article/riba_international_award_winners_2011_announced

RIBA International Award Winners 2011 Announced
Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the 13 buildings which are receiving RIBA International Awards for architectural excellence later today. The RIBA International Awards are presented to architecture practices based outside the UK building anywhere outside the UK; or for practices based in Britain and working outside the EU. All winners are eligible for the RIBA Lubetkin Prize awarded to the best international building by an RIBA member the presentation.

This year also sees the dramatic rebuilding and renovation of buildings including the Iron Market in Port au Prince – seen as Haiti’s 'Eiffel Tower' and the transformation from empty factory to housing of the Stanislavsky Factory in Moscow, both by John McAslan + Partners.

The jury for the International Awards included Bob Allies, Gianni Botsford, Alison Brooks, Tony Chapman, Peter Clegg, Paul Finch, Murray Fraser, Philip Gumuchdjian, Deborah Saunt, Bill Taylor, and Cindy Walters.

Following are the 2011 Award Winners (12 others +):

Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Architect: Foster and Partners
Client: Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Contractor: John Moriarty & Associates
Contract Value: $180m
Date of completion: Nov 2010
Gross internal area: 11,270 sq m

Jury Verdict: "The maestro has re-orchestrated one of the world’s great galleries, sampling some of his greatest hits - the Great Court of the British Museum and the Reichstag – to re-instate Guy Lowell’s Beaux Arts plan, while at the same time introducing light and clarity. The created space houses the Art of the Americas Wing with no fewer than 53 new galleries arranged over four storeys. All this against the backdrop of the work of no-bit-part player I M Pei, whose previous extension Foster’s have restored along with Lowell’s original.

In another Great Court moment the architects have reprised the colonisation of a courtyard with a glass-covered cafe and special exhibitions gallery incorporating state of the art climate control. This is consummate architecture."
 
PaulC said:
The new Wing of the Americas does not have a name yet so if anyone on this board would like to buy the naming rights.
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The ArchBoston Art of the Americas Wing.

I like it. I have a dollar I can contribute to the effort.
 
JohnAKeith said:
I recommend calling it the "Rogers Art of the Americas" wing.
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John that is quite appropriate as Malcom has said that he went through the process of becoming a full-fledged American Citizen while the project was underway -- motivated to his commitment and deep involvement in the project
 
of-course another possibility is the Santander Art of the Americas Wing:

1) today Santander announced that it has received approval to convert Soverign from a Federal Savings to a National Bank
2) Santander has decided to ditch the Soverign name in favor of its global brand of Santander
3) a few months ago Santander moved its US HQ to Boston

Santander needs something to brand itself in the US (particularly the Northeast) and eventually to expand throughout the US -- naming the building and donating some South / Central American hispanic art to the MFA would be an ideal entre to the community as Santander

NEW YORK—The Federal Reserve Bank of New York approved applications by Santander Holdings USA, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts (SHUSA), for prior approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, to become a bank holding company upon the conversion of its federal savings bank subsidiary Sovereign Bank, Wilmington, Delaware (Sovereign), to a national bank, pursuant to Section 3(a)(1) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the BHC Act); and by Banco Santander, S.A., Boadilla del Monte Madrid, Spain, to retain control of SHUSA and Sovereign upon Sovereign’s conversion to a national bank, pursuant to Section 3(a)(3) of the BHC Act.
 
In the lecture at the Boston Public Library, Malcolm Rogers talked a little about his retirement. I don't remember how he phrased it but it is obviously on the horizon. It wouldn't surprise me to see the board donating the naming rights in his honor. It would be appropriate.
 
Tombstoner said:
I suspect this is the plan. When Rogers retires, this is a fitting tribute.
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Of course -- but it might end up with one of those hyphenated naming rights:

Hynes Convention Center was originally formally known as the War Memorial Auditorium (hence the name of the Green Line stop at Mass Ave.) then they appended John B. Hynes to make it the John B. Hynes War Memorial Auditorium whiich has morphed into the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Conerntion Center

The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge

So perhaps the Arts of the Americas Wing could called:
the Malcom Rogers Arts of the Americas Wing sponsored by Banco Santander
 
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