The description of this doc says it tells the story of Dr. Albert Barnes and his art collection and the new museum it is housed in as well as the controversies surrounding the move to new quarters.
Well, I guess it does a somewhat decent job of describing the collection, though it never goes too deep into how impressive the works are. But as far as the controversies about the move, it is truly lacking and basically serves as a glowing press release for those that won the court battle.
Dr. Barnes created detailed terms of operation in an indenture of trust to be honored in perpetuity after his death. This was his art collection and it was his and only his wishes that should have mattered after his death. Barnes had seen how the Philadelphia Museum of Art had gotten control oh his lawyer's art collection and he was determined to keep them from doing the same with his works.
Yet only 50 years after his death the terms of the indenture were already being violated and the need for money led to exactly what Barnes feared and the collection was moved out of Merion to Philadelphia.
This doc tries to make it sound like everything is great and the new move was a great success. The smug designer of the garden in a gallery and a gallery in a garden is the worst because that is definitely not what Barnes wanted. But the chance to get a prestigious commission was worth more than the wishes of the man who put the collection together.
Had Barnes not created the terms of the indenture, the new museum probably would be a fine way to show the collection. But it was not what Barnes wanted. Barnes may have been a bad gallerist and the lighting and access to the collection may be better today. But it is not what Barnes wanted. There are tin-pot dictators around the world that can get a judge to rule the way they want and it doesn't make it right. Just because a judge ruled the collection could be moved out of Merion does not make it right.
The controversy of the move is never explored in this movie and the viewer deserves to know the truth of how the powers in Philadelphia art circles managed to steal the collection away from what Dr. Barnes wanted. The message that might makes right should be front and center instead of all the smug platitudes espoused by those in this film.
Of course who am I kidding? They are laughing at all the rubes that thought a legal document had any force of law. One would think they would fit right in working in Washington D.C.
Well, I guess it does a somewhat decent job of describing the collection, though it never goes too deep into how impressive the works are. But as far as the controversies about the move, it is truly lacking and basically serves as a glowing press release for those that won the court battle.
Dr. Barnes created detailed terms of operation in an indenture of trust to be honored in perpetuity after his death. This was his art collection and it was his and only his wishes that should have mattered after his death. Barnes had seen how the Philadelphia Museum of Art had gotten control oh his lawyer's art collection and he was determined to keep them from doing the same with his works.
Yet only 50 years after his death the terms of the indenture were already being violated and the need for money led to exactly what Barnes feared and the collection was moved out of Merion to Philadelphia.
This doc tries to make it sound like everything is great and the new move was a great success. The smug designer of the garden in a gallery and a gallery in a garden is the worst because that is definitely not what Barnes wanted. But the chance to get a prestigious commission was worth more than the wishes of the man who put the collection together.
Had Barnes not created the terms of the indenture, the new museum probably would be a fine way to show the collection. But it was not what Barnes wanted. Barnes may have been a bad gallerist and the lighting and access to the collection may be better today. But it is not what Barnes wanted. There are tin-pot dictators around the world that can get a judge to rule the way they want and it doesn't make it right. Just because a judge ruled the collection could be moved out of Merion does not make it right.
The controversy of the move is never explored in this movie and the viewer deserves to know the truth of how the powers in Philadelphia art circles managed to steal the collection away from what Dr. Barnes wanted. The message that might makes right should be front and center instead of all the smug platitudes espoused by those in this film.
Of course who am I kidding? They are laughing at all the rubes that thought a legal document had any force of law. One would think they would fit right in working in Washington D.C.
