Pequod88
Joined Aug 2007
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Ratings1.6K
Pequod88's rating
Reviews82
Pequod88's rating
This documentary has aged very poorly, to say the least. While one can appreciate the passion of those outraged over the eventual transition of Barnes' collection from Merion to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway downtown Philadelphia, the long-term results are tremendous for the art, the public, education, and the showcasing of additional artists both downtown and at Merion.
The art was not "stolen." By 1992, the Foundation was insolvent, necessitating a "world tour" of 83 paintings in order to raise funds. Despite this emergency measure, the endowment was still at risk. All the while, the Merion building was deteriorating and in need of major renovation and restoration. To top it off, there was growing opposition by Merion locals to increased traffic and a proposed parking lot. The status quo was unsustainable.
A documentary filmmaker is entitled to have a strong bias. Yet the film becomes a series of rants, and the initial fascinating background information gives way to a succession of tirades that, sixteen years later, look myopic at best. Rather than the villain of the tale, Foundation CEO Kimberly Camp should be seen as the heroine. She reversed the dire financial situation and began the process that eventually led to a magnificent world-class home for the Barnes Collection.
Winner of the prestigious AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture, the 2013 Building Stone Institute Tucker Award, and the 2012 Apollo Award for Museum Opening of the Year, the current Barnes Foundation is a remarkable work of art in its own right. The bulk of the collection is displayed exactly as it was in Merion, in replica rooms of the same dimensions. Walking through the spaces, it is as if one is in the original building. The anticipated desecration repeatedly prophesied in the documentary is nowhere to be found, which speaks to the art of the architecture and Foundation's respect for the collection and for Barnes.
While there is no escaping that the stipulations of Barnes' will eventually became untenable, nothing was stolen. The original Merion building has been restored, art is displayed there, and students are educated there. The world-class Barnes collection is now viewed more than ever before. There is additional gallery space beyond the replicated rooms, so new artists are a part of the Philadelphia version of the Barnes Foundation. Located next door to the Rodin Museum, the Barnes Foundation is an essential stop for all who visit the City of Brotherly Love.
The art was not "stolen." By 1992, the Foundation was insolvent, necessitating a "world tour" of 83 paintings in order to raise funds. Despite this emergency measure, the endowment was still at risk. All the while, the Merion building was deteriorating and in need of major renovation and restoration. To top it off, there was growing opposition by Merion locals to increased traffic and a proposed parking lot. The status quo was unsustainable.
A documentary filmmaker is entitled to have a strong bias. Yet the film becomes a series of rants, and the initial fascinating background information gives way to a succession of tirades that, sixteen years later, look myopic at best. Rather than the villain of the tale, Foundation CEO Kimberly Camp should be seen as the heroine. She reversed the dire financial situation and began the process that eventually led to a magnificent world-class home for the Barnes Collection.
Winner of the prestigious AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture, the 2013 Building Stone Institute Tucker Award, and the 2012 Apollo Award for Museum Opening of the Year, the current Barnes Foundation is a remarkable work of art in its own right. The bulk of the collection is displayed exactly as it was in Merion, in replica rooms of the same dimensions. Walking through the spaces, it is as if one is in the original building. The anticipated desecration repeatedly prophesied in the documentary is nowhere to be found, which speaks to the art of the architecture and Foundation's respect for the collection and for Barnes.
While there is no escaping that the stipulations of Barnes' will eventually became untenable, nothing was stolen. The original Merion building has been restored, art is displayed there, and students are educated there. The world-class Barnes collection is now viewed more than ever before. There is additional gallery space beyond the replicated rooms, so new artists are a part of the Philadelphia version of the Barnes Foundation. Located next door to the Rodin Museum, the Barnes Foundation is an essential stop for all who visit the City of Brotherly Love.
