Art at the Center Recent Acquisitions Walker Art Center
Walker Art Center's Reckoning With 'Scaffold' Isn't Over Yet
MINNEAPOLIS — The wooden remnants of "Scaffold," the gallows-similar sculpture that created so much controversy at the Walker Art Eye this summer, volition soon be buried in symbolic manner. But the museum, ane of the nation's pinnacle contemporary art institutions, is still reckoning with the fallout and with questions almost decision making.
The Walker's lath has hired a police force firm to review its handling of "Scaffold," by the creative person Sam Durant, which evoked the macabre settings of seven executions — including the hanging of 38 Dakota Indian men in Minnesota after the United States-Dakota state of war in 1862.
Some Native American leaders who denounced "Scaffold" equally offensive — which ultimately led to its demolition — are notwithstanding troubled that the museum displayed the sculpture on sometime Dakota state, and that it likewise imported an exhibition this summer past Jimmie Durham, a celebrated creative person whose past cocky-identification as Cherokee has drawn criticism from leaders of the Cherokee tribe.
Separately, over the past twelvemonth, ii dozen staff members have departed the museum, out of a total work forcefulness of simply nether 120. Interviews with several one-time employees reveal a mix of factors backside the staff changes, including practical reasons similar reaching retirement historic period. Only others described an environs of long hours and high expectations under the museum's executive director, Olga Viso, and a few said that Ms. Viso was not always open to criticism or warnings — including over "Scaffold." Nearly spoke on condition of anonymity to talk over internal affairs and conversations at the Walker.
The issues at the museum have raised eyebrows in fine art circles nationally. "Plainly the Walker has a slight cloud over it right now," said Tom Eccles, executive director of the Heart for Curatorial Studies at Bard Higher. "It's a cloud; not a downpour, merely it needs to go out of it quickly."
Ms. Viso, in an interview at her function, compared the summertime to a marathon — "we hit some rocky terrain in the beginning" — and said there was "a lot of humility around what'southward happened." But she said she was optimistic that growing communications with Native American leaders would let the museum to repair the relationship going forward.
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In response to further questions by email this week, Ms. Viso said that only one staff member shared concerns with her nearly "Scaffold," just a week before the controversy erupted Memorial Day weekend. She said she valued "all points of view" from the museum's staff and board and gets their feedback regularly.
"Equally executive director, I have to make tough choices that will, of course, not please all," she wrote.
For the Walker, known for its interdisciplinary collaboration, advanced start commissions and award-winning publications, any level of disdain is rare.
A reopening in June of the Sculpture Garden in which "Scaffold" was installed, later on a $10 one thousand thousand renovation, drew record attendance. It was the concluding footstep in an overall makeover of the museum that has featured a new entrance, more exhibition space and the addition of a restaurant by a renowned chef that's go a hot spot. A recent critically acclaimed exhibition well-nigh the artistry of the choreographer Merce Cunningham highlighted the Walker's remodeling in seven different galleries plus the theater and movie theatre.
Ms. Viso is now in her ninth year as director of the museum, a post she took on afterwards the former director, Kathy Halbreich, left in 2007. Regarded as an up-and-comer in her previous job as director at the Smithsonian'southward Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, Ms. Viso has been credited past the Washington Post for her willingness to showcase "difficult" piece of work.
"She stuck her neck out and spoke openly," said Monica Nassif, president of the Walker's lath, complimenting Ms. Viso's treatment of the "Scaffold" controversy. Ms. Viso, for her part, said she supported her board's decision to undertake the independent inquiry over "Scaffold."
Even so the departures of so many staff members at the Walker is unusual — "a rather remarkable number," equally Mr. Eccles put information technology. Amid those who left were Fionn Meade, artistic director; David Galligan, deputy director; and Cameron Zebrun, director of programme services.
"The institutional cognition that is important to museums is very difficult to replace," Mr. Eccles said. "It takes time and it takes money."
Mr. Meade said the departures of staff members were continued to "the ambitions of the institution."
"People were stretched thin and chose to go out, plant other jobs, or quit," he said. "This is of grave concern for the hereafter of what has been and will be again a leading institution committed to beingness a catalyst for artists and audiences." Mr. Meade declined to discuss the reasons for his departure, saying that he had signed a nondisclosure agreement.
Ms. Viso said she could non talk over individual personnel matters, just that she viewed the departures as part of the museum's natural attrition. Told of Mr. Meade'south comment, she noted that the past two years have been unusually decorated considering of the museum'south extensive renovations, and some chose to leave for that reason.
"The Walker is and ever has been a place where people piece of work hard and with great passion," she said. "Together we take set and accomplished ambitious goals under my leadership. I am non going to apologize for that."
Ms. Viso'due south history with "Scaffold" goes dorsum years. She recalled first seeing it on exhibition in Europe and proposed the piece of work to the Walker; the board signed off on the $450,000 purchase in 2014, co-ordinate to minutes from the Walker board's acquisition commission. Walker curators were aware that other work by Mr. Durant dealt with the Dakota war, and the museum has best-selling that it should have engaged in a meaningful manner with Native American leaders before mounting "Scaffold."
"There'due south understandably mixed emotion at a time like this, when we've been through a lot and there's a lot of trust to rebuild, and I'thousand deeply committed to that, and to the staff and continuing to position the Walker every bit a platform," Ms. Viso said.
Protests of the "Scaffold" installation prompted the museum to delay the opening of the refashioned Sculpture Garden, with 17 new pieces. Ms. Viso and Mr. Durant extended apologies. The steel from "Scaffold" was recycled. The wood was given to the Dakotas and will be buried under a plan reviewed by elders of the tribe.
The Walker has recently ramped upward its diverseness education initiatives, going on staff field trips to sites of cultural significance to the Dakota people and beginning to formalize a process to get feedback earlier.
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But a representative for a council created to respond to the event said he had picayune conviction that some of the suggestions fabricated past the group, such every bit adding a Native American member to the board of trustees, will come to fruition.
"We really haven't gotten anywhere," said the representative of the Native American group of elders, Ron Leith.
Kate Beane, a Dakota customs member and historian, also was skeptical.
"The Dakota community hasn't felt heard, hasn't been reached out to or communicated with on this issue," she said.
Amongst her concerns: the museum'south decision to bring in the exhibition by Mr. Durham, which began at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles and is moving to the Whitney Museum of American Art afterward this year. Local Native American artists met with the Walker about the exhibition, and said afterwards that they aren't sure much will alter at the Walker.
"We want to meet ourselves reflected on the walls, the stage, the website," said Rosy Simas, a choreographer who is Seneca and was among those who met with Walker officials. "The Walker'south track record of Native artists is pretty much nonexistent."
Mr. Durham, who has said he is of Cherokee descent but is non registered as a citizen with the Cherokee Nation, said in an interview that he has no response to criticism involving his identity. A Walker spokeswoman said Ms. Viso has welcomed conversations about the Durham exhibition.
As for Ms. Viso herself, she said that provocative issues similar cultural representation will go on to be tackled at the Walker.
"It's an amazing community that really understands the importance of culture and art every bit a platform for conversation, for hard conversations," she said. "We're living in a really challenging, difficult moment and art can open up the door to conversations."
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/arts/design/walker-art-center-scaffold.html
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