An exhibition designer with part of an installation by Christoph Büchel (Photo: New York Times)

When a museum behaves badly, it’s never pretty. But few examples top the depressing spectacle at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

I refer to Mass MoCA’s decision to exhibit “Training Ground for Democracy,” an immense but incomplete work of installation art, despite strenuous opposition from Christoph Büchel, the Swiss artist who conceived it and oversaw its construction until his relationship with the museum dissolved in acrimony early this year. By opening this show without his assent, the museum has broken faith with the artist, the public and art itself.

The legal principles at stake in this dispute will be argued on Friday when lawyers for the museum and Mr. Büchel face off in federal court in Springfield, Mass. Each side hopes for a summary judgment against the other.

Read full article (New York Times, September 17, 2007)

Related posts:  Museum Can Show Disputed Artwork, Judge Rules  //  Museum sues artist for right to show his work  //  Visitors leaving their mark on museum walls  //

This entry was posted on maandag, september 17th, 2007 at 10:13 am and is filed under Art, Business, Exhibition, Museum. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.