Submitted by Audra Brecher, Dec 1, 2007 10:26

I haven't yet visited the new New Museum. Yet even if I go and come away disappointed, unimpressed, and uninspired, I can't imagine having the sort of dyspeptic, unbalanced opinions expressed by Lance Esplund in his article.

Not many people consider how a building will age. I was pleased that Mr. Esplund did consider it--but even it does age poorly and appears dated in the near future, will it really be like, "a leering old man hanging around the playground?" I'm not even convinced that it will age poorly. Its six crystalline boxes, which echo the rectlinear shapes of its context, are clad in anodized aluminum-- a material only less durable than diamonds.

Mr. Esplund also instructs us that we must question the point of having a museum dedicated to new art, when New York already has 1,000 galleries dedicated to such. First, for good for for ill, there are many people who will not visit galleries but who will visit a museum. A visitor who visits the New Museum and who learns about an artist there could then seek out that artist out amongst those 1,000 galleries. Second, the concept of a museum which celebrates the now and the living is a compelling one, a beautiful one-- one that probably could not flourish in many other cities besides ours. Growing up in suburban America, I remember how hungry and desperate I was for art. My love for art and culture is the whole reason that I live here. I posit that the very concept and the very fact of the New Museum's existence is a triumph-- and one that informs the very soul of this city.

Let us hope that the curators at the New Museum will not perpetuate "redundacy." I hope that they will take advantage of their special stage. I hope that they will look with fresh eyes, with their own eyes. I hope that they will seek out the unknown and quiet artists in the outer boroughs, artists yet undiscovered, but whose work has the potential to awaken us. Wouldn't that be something?

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