Kosme de Barañano on the Purpose of Exhibitions and Lincoln Kirstein's Overlooked MoMA Show
In an editorial for Artribune, curator Kosme de Barañano examines the importance and expenses associated with art exhibitions, specifically referencing his Baselitz showcase at Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia. He brings attention to the underappreciated "Lincoln Kirstein's Modern" exhibition at MoMA, which concluded on June 15, 2019. Kirstein, who inherited the Filene's fortune, co-founded Hound & Horn in 1927, highlighting prominent writers. After completing his studies in 1930, he became a member of MoMA's Junior Committee, playing a pivotal role in New York's cultural landscape by establishing the School of American Ballet and the New York City Ballet. Curated by Samantha Friedman and Jodi Hauptman, the exhibition featured 200 artworks and archival items but did not attract significant attention, indicating a preference for commercial art.
Key facts
- Kosme de Barañano curated a Baselitz exhibition at the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia.
- The exhibition 'Lincoln Kirstein's Modern' at MoMA closed on June 15, 2019.
- Lincoln Kirstein co-founded Hound & Horn with Varian Fry in 1927.
- Kirstein joined MoMA's Junior Committee in 1930, alongside Alfred H. Barr Jr., Philip Johnson, Nelson Rockefeller, and Elizabeth Bliss.
- Kirstein founded the School of American Ballet and the New York City Ballet with George Balanchine.
- In 1939, Kirstein donated his personal archive of over 5,000 items to MoMA.
- During WWII, Kirstein served on a commission to recover Nazi-looted art.
- The exhibition was curated by Samantha Friedman and Jodi Hauptman.
- The show featured about 200 artworks and archival documents.
- De Barañano criticizes the lack of attention given to the exhibition.
Entities
Artists
- Kosme de Barañano
- Georg Baselitz
- Lincoln Kirstein
- Varian Fry
- Ezra Pound
- Marianne Moore
- Gertrude Stein
- Alfred H. Barr Jr.
- Philip Johnson
- Nelson Rockefeller
- Elizabeth Bliss
- George Balanchine
- Samantha Friedman
- Jodi Hauptman
- Federica Lonati
Institutions
- Artribune
- Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Harvard University
- Hound & Horn
- School of American Ballet
- New York City Ballet
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- New York Public Library
- Filene's
Locations
- Venezia
- Italy
- New York
- United States
- Boston
- Alabama