In this interview, a group of artists respond to the Museum of Modern Art in the late 1960s. One particular sculptor, Takis, actually went into the MOMA in New York and removed a piece of his own creation that he specifically asked to not be displayed. Those involved in the interview speak of giving a bigger voice to the artists and art-appreciating community versus the Board of Trustees of the museum. They felt that the museum and its content were being controlled by the rich and the out-of-touch, which seems very backwards for an organization that largely influences and drives the direction of contemporary art. Among their demands was a public forum with artists, museum people, and community members all involved, which the museum flatly refused. They also wanted the museum to be more accessible, in terms of better hours and cheaper (freer) admissions.
One quote I really appreciate from this article: “I can’t be responsible for the morals of the affluent- I’m much more worried about the deprivation of the poor.” Spoken like a true starving artist.
