Broad Expansion Tops Out
That was fast. Two years after announcing an expansion and a year after breaking ground, the Broad has topped out with placement of its new wing's final steel beam.
Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, like the original structure, the expansion is expected to open in time for the 2028 Olympics. The original Broad remains open during construction.
Comments
The collection and curation are banal.
--- J. Garcin
> curation are banal.
J Garcin, the problem with the Broad is it's managed by a bunch of rubes. Speaking of which...
Google/AI (question of Museum of Fine Arts Houston vs LACMA):
MFAH's Edge: It is praised for its comprehensive 70,000-piece collection...making it a stronger, more cohesive experience for many, recently ranked as the #6 art museum in the U.S..
LACMA's Edge: As the largest museum in the western U.S., it boasts 140,000+ objects. While its curation is sometimes considered less focused, it is unparalleled...for its diverse, encyclopedia collections.... [End quote]
> highlighting the noir
> qualities of the
> building.
After decades of a series of poor choices or a lack of professionalism (that at least a MFA-Houston, etc, etc,, hasn't fumbled as much, much less [insert name of top-tier art museum here]), I wish I could be more confident in today's LACMA.
I still find the place more interesting than what a business-as-usual (yet very skillfully managed) museum in Houston is all about, but my opinion and that of others very easily may diverge.
Having to second guess over 60 years of the professionalism of a Richard Brown, Richard Donahue, Earl Powell and, now, Michael Govan is a real head scratcher. But something about LACMA's "DNA" is similar to the "genetics" of an LA Zoo versus a San Diego Zoo.
In any case, that's a silly comparison. Who would trade MoMA's collection for the Broad building? It's the singular collection of modern art in world history.
You could house the MoMA collection in a shed and it would still look better than the Broad collection.
--- J. Garcin
Decades later, Michael Govan had draperies (via an artist he commissioned) strung along the top of a gallery. Now there are draperies hanging in the Geffen Galleries.
What's with LACMA and draperies? lol.
However, Donahue at least didn't' alienate the Ahmanson Foundation.
Google/AI:
Kenneth Donahue's weaknesses in running...(LACMA) were due to his deep dislike for administrative tasks and the prevalent internal infighting among the museum’s management and board of trustees.
The specific factors that limited his effectiveness as director from 1966 to 1979 include: Aversion to Bureaucracy: Donahue openly admitted that he objected to the constant meetings, public relations duties, and ceremonial functions...explicitly stating he preferred working directly with art objects over managing institutional growth.
Board Misalignment: He inherited an unorganized, intrusive board of trustees that frequently undermined directorial authority, a systemic issue that also forced out his predecessor, Richard F. Brown.
Administrative Infighting: Ongoing internal disputes and structural dysfunction between the professional staff and the museum's governance crippled operational efficiency, eventually resulting in Donahue's forced retirement in 1979.
Despite these leadership struggles, Donahue excelled as a Baroque scholar, successfully addressing major collection gaps by securing masterpiece acquisitions like Georges de La Tour's The Magdalene with the Smoking Flame through partnerships with The Ahmanson Foundation.
--- J. Garcin