Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Movie: The Art of the Steal

If you like documentaries, and art movies, I suggest watching "The Art of The Steal."


Here is a description from the movie's website:


"A gripping tale of intrigue and mystery in the art world, this film traces the history of the Barnes collection of Post-Impressionist paintings, which was worth billions and became the subject of a power struggle after the 1951 death of the owner. Dr. Albert Barnes collected 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, 59 Matisses, 46 Picassos and many other valuable paintings. But the political wrangling over the collection eventually led to its division."


"The Art of The Steal chronicles the long and dramatic struggle for control of the Barnes Foundation, a private collection of art valued at more than $25 billion."


I went to Art School in Philadelphia and I've visited the Barnes Foundation. I've also been reading about the controversy, and hearing comments from Philadelphia area friends who are more informed than I am, and very opinionated about it, one way or the other.


I found myself having strong feelings on both side of the issue. Does the Foundation honor the direction of Dr. Barnes by staying put, or does it move to Center City in Philadelphia to enable more people to visit the collection? For me it brings into question how to move forward when economics and space become an issue.


If you have a little down time over Thanksgiving weekend, and if you have Netflix, you can stream it on your computer.