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The Arts In Orlando


spenser1058

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The resignation of OMA’s interim director (without so much as a fig leaf of explanation) reinforces something we’ve long known -OMA’s problems go much deeper than the Basquiat scandal:

https://bungalower.com/2022/08/24/orlando-museum-of-arts-interim-director-resigned-already/

From Bungalower 

We have more from The Sentinel. It seems several of the board’s trustees had far exceeded the limits of time they were to serve and hence have been asked to resign.

Even before this, Alana Grant Morrissey, the museum’s director before the musical chairs began, had been at OMA for 42 years. It was long suggested that one of the significant problems of OMA was the stasis from Ms. Morrissey being at the helm for far too long.

This seems to be a common Orlando problem extending all the way to City Hall.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/arts-and-theater/os-et-orlando-museum-of-art-director-trustees-gone-20220824-7wi4lfcju5aojbw6poyop3kk74-story.html

When it comes to Orlando these days, perhaps Faulkner put it best: ,”The past is never dead. It's not even past.”

Or maybe we’re just in a local version of “Groundhog Day”.  When did Orlando turn sclerotic?

Edited by spenser1058
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The Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell tells us more and we find out that for all the pearl-clutching “change” at OMA, in the background it was still being operated as the weak sister of the region’s art organizations.

Sure, they raised lots of money and were high on United Arts’ list of recipients, but to what end? Yet another stunning presentation of “The Festival of Trees”?

And, if Scott’s correct, nothing much has changed so far. See what happens when you let some of your leaders stick around far too long? Welcome to Orlando, rapidly replacing  fast-charging St. Pete as the heir to the Grumpy Old Men (and Women).

After FBI-Basquiat scandal, Orlando Museum of Art is still short on progress, transparency | Commentary
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-orlando-museum-art-basquiat-fbi-scott-maxwell-20220826-ixuetaxnpzhzvpyk37choau2be-story.html

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  • 3 weeks later...

Some incredible out of the box thinking about how OMA might move forward:

Art brings us together, even in the wake of museum scandal | Commentary
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/guest-commentary/os-op-orlando-museum-of-art-after-scandal-20220913-onghktwxdzg2lgil6ivuokik6e-story.html

From The Sentinel 

“Standing at the museum, I wondered what might happen if OMA invited all of us to engage in a communitywide discussion of the Basquiat Affair and its implications. What if OMA devoted a gallery to stories about it, including some from those European newspapers, along with responses from staff, trustees, and members? Beginning with questions about authenticity and artistic legacy, provenance and fraud, we might all examine whether faithful copies have as much value as originals, why certain artists become adored and in demand while others slip into obscurity, and who should have a voice in selecting exhibits.”

Sadly, OMA’s so hidebound in its thinking we can rest assured it will never happen *sigh*
 

Edited by spenser1058
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  • 4 weeks later...

Egad! The National Gallery of Art in D.C., one of the country’s most respected museums, has been displaying a fake Vermeer.

How can this be? Only Orlando could possibly be stupid enough to do something like that, right!?! Hmmmm….

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/07/arts/vermeer-impostor-national-gallery.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

From The New York Times 

 

 

Edited by spenser1058
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1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

Egad! The National Gallery of Art in D.C., one of the country’s most respected museums, has been displaying a fake Vermeer.

How can this be? Only Orlando could possibly be stupid enough to do something like that, right!?! Hmmmm….

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/07/arts/vermeer-impostor-national-gallery.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

From The New York Times 

 

 

Glaring difference being that the National Gallery set out to find the truth while OMA embarrassingly tried to cover it up.

That said - OMA has never been more popular… 

Edited by prahaboheme
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13 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

Glaring difference being that the National Gallery set out to find the truth while OMA embarrassingly tried to cover it up.

That said - OMA has never been more popular… 

That’s what a lot of us suggested when OMA found itself in that situation - Scott Maxwell in particular noted what a teaching moment it could have been.

Of course, the staff in DC runs much deeper and the OMA board has the sclerotic arteries notorious to the city - folks staying in their positions too long with little growth except expanding the Festival of Trees each year. The new chair, Mark Elliott, seems to be thinking more out of the box but I’m not sure how long he wants to stick around. It’s been remarkably quiet over there. 

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Among the latest challenges for OMA, a $7 million bill to fix a leaky roof (Ian didn’t help) and upgrade HVAC.

There’s been significant staff turnover, some contributors have taken collections across town to the Rollins Museum and some donors have cut back financial support while others are stepping up.

Most importantly, OMA finally seems to be taking a hard look at what it wants to be when it grows up as it enters its 100th year. It’s long overdue and had been way before Basquiat came to town.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/arts-and-theater/os-et-orlando-museum-of-art-challenges-20221009-nhosmtgnibcynjrqj45pzqlaqe-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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