The Art of the Steal

20 March 2011 | Movie, Painting

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I wish I had seen this film before I made the trip to the Barnes Foundation. The documentary was made in 2009 when the fate of Dr. Albert Barnes’s collection had already been determined. It includes interviews with scholars in the art world, art critics, and former staff of the Foundation. The reason for moving the collection was so misrepresented in the media. It all had to do with power and money struggles of the Pew and Annenberg Foundations and their relationship with not only the city of Philadelphia, but also with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Dr. Barnes’s wish to never loan or move the works was completely ignored. The city and major players in this move simply did not care about the desire of Dr. Barnes to keep magnificent collection to remain intact as an educational tool. What a travesty!


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