“Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.” George Bernard Shaw (from Brainyquote)
The Detroit Free Press and other news organizations are reporting that a group of foundations have stepped up to provide funding to save the art and the pensions of the city of Detroit and the Detroit Institute of Arts. As the city spiraled into bankruptcy, the DIA’s art was pitted against the lack of funding for the pensions of the city’s retirees. A battle had ensued suggesting the mean old art people were in favor of starving the pensioners in order to save the art. For the art it was an unwinnable war. A precious collection was in danger of being sold to the highest bidder to fund the pensions of the city’s retirees. No one wanted to see retirees starve and many art lovers had acknowledged that the art was the likely loser.
These foundations have stepped up to save both the art and the pensions so that no one is the loser. The Detroit Free Press states that nine foundations have come together to pledge $330 million to relieve some of the weight from the cities creditors. The foundations are the Kresge Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the Ford Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Hudson-Webber Foundation, McGregor Foundation, and Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
As good as this sounds, it still may not be enough to rescue both the art and the pensions but it is great news. There remains much to be worked out in court. Time will tell. Last week what looked hopeless is now hopeful. It seems the mighty steed of rescue may be riding in after all. No word yet as to whether anybody has discussed what got the city into this mess in the first place. That bit of enlightenment has yet to dawn on anybody.
Photographs shown are from the Detroit Institute of Arts downloadable images page on the website. For more images go (here). Insert photo is the North Wall by Diego Rivera (1932-1933), fresco.
Life Without Art Is Stupid!
This was a bumper sticker I read….
Great bumper sticker!! I wish I had it!
Crossing my fingers (and other extremities) for Detroit and the museum.
The Rivera mural is remarkable. My college dining hall had an Orozco mural (Prometheus) in it…
I’m crossing mine, too! It would be a shame to see that mural become lost to the public so hopefully this plan will work!
Sounds like a wonderful dining hall!
A little odd for a dining hall, striking all the same:
http://art.pomona.edu/art-history/orozco-prometheus-central-panel-1930/
It is very striking! But I agree, it is a bit odd for the dining hall. Was the room used for something else before it was the dining hall?