Saturday, August 30, 2014

The Hall Monitors' new Very Important Cause ...

... is to insist that we never ever call what happened to the Corcoran a "merger."  In other words, these news reports --




The Art Newspaper:  Corcoran merger gets DC court approval -- 

all get it wrong, but what do they know?

Why this issue is so important to the Hall Monitors I couldn't tell you (they move in mysterious ways), but, rather than get hung up on semantics, it's good to be reminded one more time what actually is happening. From the decision approving the merger takeover partnership arrangement:

"[U]nder the proposal, GW will: 1) renovate the Flagg Building so that it can continue to host both a gallery and a college of art and design in the District of Columbia; 2) establish a Corcoran School within GW that will seek to 'preserve and maintain the mission, reputation and brand' of the Corcoran, that will incorporate the Corcoran name, and that will remain in the Flagg Building in perpetuity; 3) continue to maintain gallery space in the Flagg Building even if the agreement between NGA and GW is terminated; and 4) continue to ensure that the works of art displayed in the Flagg Building remain open to the public. ... Under the proposal, the NGA will: 1) operate a Legacy Gallery at the Flagg Building, consisting of works from the Corcoran collection that are 'intrinsically identified' with the Flagg Building and the history of the Gallery; and 2) operate a contemporary art gallery at the Flagg Building, consisting of works of art from both the Corcoran collection and the NGA’s collection.... In sum, under the GW/NGA proposal, the Flagg Building will be renovated, the school will continue and be strengthened by its partnership with a financially sound university, both the school and a significant portion of the collection will remain in the Flagg Building, and a gallery, although smaller, will remain open to the public in the Flagg Building."

Call it what you will, but that's what it is.