On Demand
Evening Music
Lisa Phillips
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Director, New Museum of Contemporary Art
The Bowery is officially a part of the 21st century, now that the NMCA has moved into its eye-catching, SANAA-designed new home there. Phillips, who spearheaded the New Museum's move, spent 23 years as a curator at the Whitney Museum before joining the New Museum as Director in 1999. She has overseen solo exhibitions by artists such as William Kentridge, Paul McCarthy, Carroll Dunham, and Andrea Zittel.
Comments
I found this must-have event, this year of 2/6-interest. From the shows I listened to, only Alex Ross and the fellow mounting the musical at The Public seemed to have pertinent views of the subject. This is an incomplete evaluation, since I did not hear everyone, but is, I think, a good representation of the "weight" Music as an Art carries: would you ever ask a conductor what he thinks about plastic arts: would you care ? And yet, you ask the director of a Museum what she thinks about Music: should we care ?
I was so turned off the 1st segment, I didn't make any effort to tune in the rest. It was sort of like Gilbert Kaplan's show -- light (or lite). The only other person worth hearing would have been Alex Ross -- and I can read his blog to find out what he likes. The interviewing was not up to WNYC standards -- shallow, self-serving, and ultimately boring. The segment was much too long -- 30 minutes would have been quite sufficient since not much music was actually played. Not everyone is worth knowing in depth -- and who really cares what music reminds you of an incident in your childhood. Better to really go for it -- and have some "significant" NY personage program an hour of music and serve as on-air host -- perhaps in conversation with one of the regular music hosts. Go back to the drawing board on this.
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