We Visited the New, Socially Distant Metropolitan Museum

It’s the last day of August and I hope you are having a wonderful morning! We visited the new sociall

Aug 31, 2020 • View in browser

It’s the last day of August and I hope you are having a wonderful morning!We visited the new socially distant Met! Banksy’s new boat tries to help rescue migrants. Two California art schools get millions of dollars to help Black students and faculty. And the British Museum moves and re-contextualizes the bust of its original donor, a slave owner and colonialist.Plus a review of Francesc Torres’s current exhibition which looks at nature’s scars, and a new edition of A View from the Easel.– Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief (Today is a great day to support Hyperallergic. Become a Member!)

We Visited the Met!

We visited the new socially distant Metropolitan Museum. The general consensus among Met visitors during its members-only reopening seemed to be a mix of relief to get out of the house, and awe at the massive museum’s unprecedentedly sparse galleries.With limited capacity, temperature checks, mandatory mask-wearing, a sea of hand sanitizing stations, and signage for social distancing at every corner, the museum welcomed back its art-starved members.“Isn’t this fabulous? It’s a return to sanity,” said Peggy Dodson, a Met member of five years who was pacing through the museum’s Great Hall, her eyes wide with excitement.

In Other News

Banksy has struck again! The artist has purchased and decorated a bright pink motor yacht to rescue migrants making the perilous passage to Europe from north Africa. The yacht, which had already rescued 89 refugees by Friday, has now issued calls for help as it has become overloaded and stranded in the Mediterranean. CalArts and Otis College each received million-dollar donations to support black faculty and students. Juan Carlos Lynch stepped down as president of arteBA in Argentina after his Instragam account featuring numerous sexist, racist jokes was exposed. The British Museum will move the bust of its founding donor, colonialist, and slave owner, Sir Hans Sloane, from a prominent display to a cabinet alongside artifacts explaining his work in the context of the British empire.

Online MFA Shows

Kathia St. Hilaire, “Biba Bijoux” (2020) (Detail)

Last week, we published our final look at some of our favorite works from the many virtual MFA exhibitions schools have posted online. The latest edition highlighted some of our favorite work from emerging artists at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and Yale.You can check out the whole series, which includes MFA shows from the San Francisco Art Institute, CalArts, Otis, California College of the Arts, UC Davis, CSU Chico, Pratt, Parsons, Columbia, Cornell, and SVA.

Latest Reviews

Evoking the Messiness of Memory With the Ocean’s Tide Drawing on the Galician tradition of collecting “crebas,” or items washed in by the tide, Francesc Torres immerses the viewer in pivotal moments of Spanish history via its detritus. Emily Sun

A View From the Easel During Times of Quarantine This week, artists reflect on quarantining from their studios in Oregon, Massachusetts, California, Missouri, and the UK. Elisa Wouk Almino

Most Popular

The Prison Drawings of Frank Jones Andy Warhol on Race and Ethnicity Artists Quarantine With Their Art Collections Beer with a Painter: Dan Douke A Museum Director Asks: What if Art Museums Can’t Measure Up to the Present Moment?

From the Store

"The Scream" Pop-Up Card Do you hear that sound? Could it be… an infinite scream passing through nature? Norwegian Expressionist Edvard Munch thought so too when he painted his iconic modern masterpiece “The Scream,” now available as a spooky pop-up card you can put on display, or send to your friends and family to show them how you really feel. Shop more art-inspired pop-up cards.

Opportunities, now in your inbox Interested in open calls, residencies, and grants? Sign up to receive our list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers every month. Sign up now

Did you enjoy this issue?

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe from this newsletter. If you were forwarded this newsletter and you like it, you can subscribe here. Hyperallergic Media 181 N 11th St., Suite 302, Brooklyn, NY 11211