Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Loose Lips

There is an interesting article in the Loose Lips section of Frank Magazine - sorry, I can't find it online. It's called War of the Warhols and refers to two Warhol exhibitions in the GTA, one at the under construction Art Gallery of Ontario and the other at the Oakville Galleries. The AGO material is a touring exhibition borrowed from Minneapolis; the Oakville show features work from the collection of Toronto collector extraordinaire, Salah Bachir. It seems that Mr. David Moos from the Art Gallery of Ontario has, according to Frank, made some not very flattering comments about the Oakville show. "Recently he vented his spleen to AGO volunteers that they needn't bother about the Oakville show. In fact, they aren't to mention it all to patrons. If specifically asked, a word about the Oakville show's inferiority, perhaps a little sneer about the curation will do". Could this be true??? The article opens with, "You'd figure cosmopolitan World Class Toronto would be big enough for two Andy Warhol shows in the area at the same time. But nooooo." Frank magazine also suggests that Mr. Moos' "consistent advice to patrons and collectors that buying Canadian art is a bad investment has done little to endear him with our homegrown wards of the Canada Council, but Moos couuld give a shit. The Ivy League educated art brat, after all, is hoping to be the next Canadian export south of the border, following in the footsteps of AGO former director Glenn Lowry, who high jumped it to New York's MOMA in back in '95"

If Mr. Moos really made these comments, both about the Oakville show and about Canadian art, I hope he gets a job down in the States sooner rather than later. They can have him. I want our Art Gallery of Ontario to champion Canadian art, and champion Canadian galleries and the efforts of other curators. I want to see an Art Gallery of Ontario that the artists in this town can be proud of... a little graciousness would be a good start.

By the way, I enjoyed the Oakville exhibition. Mr. Bachir has a splendid collection, and has generously shared it with us. I think it's great to see curator Marnie Fleming and the Oakville Galleries celebrate it.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

First, I wonder if the FRANK article was a satire...did Moos really say this?

And second...I ran into Moos a couple weeks ago. I noticed him in a crowd because he was being pussy-whipped by a woman. I had the impression the woman was his own mother, forgive me if i am wrong. he was confused and looking after one of his children and appeared to have no idea how to do so. It was hilarious. Although he has spent substantial time with me, he had no idea or impression who I was...so either he is a rude bastard or a snob. either way doesn't bode well for that emasculated human.

All I could see was a man protected by inexperience in the practical world.

I believe that only world weary but refreshed by tragic optimism suggested by Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl in his book Mans Search For Meaning should be dealing with the content demanded by art, which has always been the human condition and life and death themes...My impression outside of the work place was that a man so incapable of functioning in the real world has no business curating art.

Anonymous said...

Great post Mister Anchovy. The AGO (aka The Plantation) is LONG overdue for a curatorial rehaul

Gardenia said...

What a snob....please dont' send Mr. Moos down here!

BTW thanks for stopping by at my blog.

Gardenia said...

PS - wonderfuly, eclectic, arty, magnificent blog.

mister anchovy said...

thanks Diana for the flattering comment! cheers.