while there are many moments of breathtaking refinement, and the galleries themselves are a revelation, the result is sadly - no, tragically - a long way from being a successful addition to the city. — Philadelphia Inquirer
Inga Saffron reviews the new building, and the relocated Albert Barnes Foundation, by architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.
6 Comments
lets hope this one doesn't see the same fate as Folk Art
Those bronze screened doors in the middle of the slideshow look beautiful. This is the first I'd seen of the siting, which does seem a bit odd. Not sure what I think of it.
The materials and detailing are, of course, since it's TWBTA, flawless. Swoon.
The galleries have too much clutter and appear to be very small rooms - it will be horrible to go through as the quality of the paintings look spectacular and will attract far too many to view the art properly.
They should ditch the furniture that must have been part of the collection as it is clunky and doesn't fit will with the paintings. Some of the rooms have big pieces centered below big paintings. The curators really didn't do a great job. The organisations of some of the walls appear to be symmetrical via frame size - thats crazy.
But the museum is nice - well detailed - lots of money -
more gray boxes by the master box makers
i think the curation wasn't a choice, TED. as i understand it, they agreed to replicate the arrangement from the old barnes directly/exactly.
What Steven said, TED. The Barnes Foundation requirements are that the paintings never be moved from how Albert Barnes arranged them on the walls in the original building, grouped by his own idiosyncratic logic and along with the craft pieces and furniture as shown. The new building drops a replica of the original spaces and arrangements into a new box, as required.
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