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Museums Need to Step Into the Future Museums Need to Step Into the Future
(about 16 hours later)
America’s museums are more than repositories of ancient Greek statues and Renaissance paintings. They are guardians of a fading social and demographic order. On Thursday, Warren Kanders resigned from the board of the Whitney Museum of Art, after protests over his company’s sale of tear gas grenades that were reportedly used on asylum seekers. His case reveals the extent to which museums have become contested spaces in a rapidly-changing country.America’s museums are more than repositories of ancient Greek statues and Renaissance paintings. They are guardians of a fading social and demographic order. On Thursday, Warren Kanders resigned from the board of the Whitney Museum of Art, after protests over his company’s sale of tear gas grenades that were reportedly used on asylum seekers. His case reveals the extent to which museums have become contested spaces in a rapidly-changing country.
On one side of the crossfire are trustees who benefit from a distorted economic system that protects and promotes inequality. Wealthy donors and collectors decide what is valued. They expect appreciation, not scrutiny, for giving generously as government support for the arts wanes. And they are offended by the accusation that they use museums to launder, or “artwash,” their reputations and increase the value of their personal collections.On one side of the crossfire are trustees who benefit from a distorted economic system that protects and promotes inequality. Wealthy donors and collectors decide what is valued. They expect appreciation, not scrutiny, for giving generously as government support for the arts wanes. And they are offended by the accusation that they use museums to launder, or “artwash,” their reputations and increase the value of their personal collections.
On the other side are people that the system excludes and exploits. An increasingly diverse viewing public, and growing protest movements, are calling for installations and institutions that represent a broader cross-section of America. They demand museums serve more than the interests of the elite. On the other side are people whom the system excludes and exploits. An increasingly diverse viewing public, and growing protest movements, are calling for installations and institutions that represent a broader cross-section of America. They demand museums serve more than the interests of the elite.
Museums find themselves in the same struggle tearing society apart — a struggle fueled by worsening inequality of every kind.Museums find themselves in the same struggle tearing society apart — a struggle fueled by worsening inequality of every kind.
Consider how this is playing out in New York City. The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced it would no longer accept gifts from the Sackler family, owners of the opioid maker Purdue Pharma. Before Mr. Kanders resigned, eight artists in the Whitney’s 2019 Biennial withdrew in protest. (They have since rejoined the show.) Employees of the Guggenheim and New Museum, whose wages have largely stagnated as those of top museum executives rise faster than inflation, have recently unionized, inspiring other such efforts.Consider how this is playing out in New York City. The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced it would no longer accept gifts from the Sackler family, owners of the opioid maker Purdue Pharma. Before Mr. Kanders resigned, eight artists in the Whitney’s 2019 Biennial withdrew in protest. (They have since rejoined the show.) Employees of the Guggenheim and New Museum, whose wages have largely stagnated as those of top museum executives rise faster than inflation, have recently unionized, inspiring other such efforts.
I believe that museums have the responsibility to hold a mirror up to society. As the country becomes younger and more diverse, and as its immigrant population grows, museums must shift. This is not about “political correctness”; it’s about how these institutions can achieve excellence, now and in the future.I believe that museums have the responsibility to hold a mirror up to society. As the country becomes younger and more diverse, and as its immigrant population grows, museums must shift. This is not about “political correctness”; it’s about how these institutions can achieve excellence, now and in the future.
At stake is not just the work or prestige of a particular institution, but the underpinnings of democracy: How do “we the people,” tell our story — who is included, and who is locked out? And how do museums resist reinforcing biases, hierarchies and inequalities?At stake is not just the work or prestige of a particular institution, but the underpinnings of democracy: How do “we the people,” tell our story — who is included, and who is locked out? And how do museums resist reinforcing biases, hierarchies and inequalities?
To start, museums should prioritize hiring curators from academic programs that invest in diversity. Donors need to support artists and academics of every background; the people entrusted with analyzing and exhibiting the American story ought to reflect the future, or risk not being a part of it.To start, museums should prioritize hiring curators from academic programs that invest in diversity. Donors need to support artists and academics of every background; the people entrusted with analyzing and exhibiting the American story ought to reflect the future, or risk not being a part of it.
Fortunately, there are signs of progress. A 2018 Mellon Foundation survey found that educational and curatorial departments have grown more racially diverse since 2014. More than a quarter of museum education positions are now held by people of color. A number of prominent museums, from the Getty to the Museum of Modern Art, have announced the appointment of curators of color recently.Fortunately, there are signs of progress. A 2018 Mellon Foundation survey found that educational and curatorial departments have grown more racially diverse since 2014. More than a quarter of museum education positions are now held by people of color. A number of prominent museums, from the Getty to the Museum of Modern Art, have announced the appointment of curators of color recently.
One of the most successful traveling exhibitions of the past year, “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power,” generated critical acclaim and enormous attendance, demonstrating the hunger for such programming. The fall cultural calendar in major museums promises to be among the most diverse ever, with solo exhibitions devoted to artists including Teresita Fernández, Julie Mehretu, Wangechi Mutu and Mark Bradford.One of the most successful traveling exhibitions of the past year, “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power,” generated critical acclaim and enormous attendance, demonstrating the hunger for such programming. The fall cultural calendar in major museums promises to be among the most diverse ever, with solo exhibitions devoted to artists including Teresita Fernández, Julie Mehretu, Wangechi Mutu and Mark Bradford.
Many organizations that support art institutions are demanding more. New York City, for instance, now requires diversity reporting from the cultural institutions it subsidizes. Beyond the numbers, the fact that the city will hold institutions accountable is starting to shift the focus away from merely seeking donations.Many organizations that support art institutions are demanding more. New York City, for instance, now requires diversity reporting from the cultural institutions it subsidizes. Beyond the numbers, the fact that the city will hold institutions accountable is starting to shift the focus away from merely seeking donations.
Major arts foundations — from Annenberg to Walton — are emphasizing diversity and inclusion in their grant-making. By doing so, they are offering funds that are not contingent on naming rights for new buildings, but rather to build more diverse staffs and invest in a broader range of stories, of which there are still too few examples.Major arts foundations — from Annenberg to Walton — are emphasizing diversity and inclusion in their grant-making. By doing so, they are offering funds that are not contingent on naming rights for new buildings, but rather to build more diverse staffs and invest in a broader range of stories, of which there are still too few examples.
And yet, everything that moves an institution forward, or holds it back, can be traced to its board. So, boards need to include members from more diverse perspectives and backgrounds. After all, no institution in a democracy that aspires to reflect society, or serve the public, can do so without representing the communities that constitute it.And yet, everything that moves an institution forward, or holds it back, can be traced to its board. So, boards need to include members from more diverse perspectives and backgrounds. After all, no institution in a democracy that aspires to reflect society, or serve the public, can do so without representing the communities that constitute it.
To engage diverse leaders, museums should redefine the terms of trusteeship. At a time when institutions face greater pressure than ever to raise resources, their boards have veered too far toward only appointing trustees with wealth. But we know there are other valuable forms of capital not easily measured in dollars and cents. And so boards need to stop seeing diversity as subtracting from their annual revenue, but rather as adding strength. Diversity helps them attract new visitors, artists, communities and constituencies.To engage diverse leaders, museums should redefine the terms of trusteeship. At a time when institutions face greater pressure than ever to raise resources, their boards have veered too far toward only appointing trustees with wealth. But we know there are other valuable forms of capital not easily measured in dollars and cents. And so boards need to stop seeing diversity as subtracting from their annual revenue, but rather as adding strength. Diversity helps them attract new visitors, artists, communities and constituencies.
In other words, museum boards must move from tokenism to transformation — the kind of transformation that only meaningful inclusion can bring.In other words, museum boards must move from tokenism to transformation — the kind of transformation that only meaningful inclusion can bring.
Transformation will take hold only if it happens at every level of the museum. That’s why boards have a responsibility to support and hire a diverse staff and to compensate them responsibly. Only then will the public begin to see themselves and others robustly reflected and represented.Transformation will take hold only if it happens at every level of the museum. That’s why boards have a responsibility to support and hire a diverse staff and to compensate them responsibly. Only then will the public begin to see themselves and others robustly reflected and represented.
Static, monolithic history must be supplanted with histories, plural — even as museums continue to safeguard the past in the objects they conserve and display. Directors and their staffs can enact bold forward-looking visions only when their boards support them in seeing museums as spaces to challenge, take creative risks and not simply conserve.Static, monolithic history must be supplanted with histories, plural — even as museums continue to safeguard the past in the objects they conserve and display. Directors and their staffs can enact bold forward-looking visions only when their boards support them in seeing museums as spaces to challenge, take creative risks and not simply conserve.
Museums have the chance to redefine excellence and relevance. They should be civic spaces where we can gather and do the exhilarating work of building community. For that to happen, institutions should look beyond the gilded frames of this new Gilded Age, and better reflect the public they serve.Museums have the chance to redefine excellence and relevance. They should be civic spaces where we can gather and do the exhilarating work of building community. For that to happen, institutions should look beyond the gilded frames of this new Gilded Age, and better reflect the public they serve.
Darren Walker (@DarrenWalker) is the president of the Ford Foundation.Darren Walker (@DarrenWalker) is the president of the Ford Foundation.
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