Save Art Now V: Changing Equations

The calculus and the rhetoric continue to shift on the issue of what to do about the Arts Campus at the University of Iowa and the now contentious issue of whether or not to sell the Jackson Pollock. The latest twist: the Museum apparently won't be going back down to the River. Unconfirmed reports have it that Lloyd's of London, which insures the Museum's Collection will NOT continue to insure the collection if the Museum remains in its present location. Suddenly, the driving force behind Mr. Gartner's decent into idiocy become a little easier to understand: it's a tempting, juicy target. Selling the Pollock may be a singularly stupid idea, but it could land the Museum a new building, a better facility with more parking- and, more space to show more of their amazing collection.

Tempting. Very, very tempting.

But I don't think we can blink on this one: the Pollock is one of the biggest if not THE biggest draw to the University of Iowa Museum of Art. The trade off apparently being that if you sell it, you get a new building- but what's the use of a shiny new building if no one wants to come and see your collection? New building or no, you don't sell the one painting that has a lot of people moving through the doors. It doesn't make sense, it'd be counter-productive and ultimately, you run the risk of ending up with a white elephant of a building (looking at you, Laser Center) that looks awesome, but doesn't really do much. That's not a risk worth running- especially when you consider that the long term prestige and future of the program are at risk.

So what to do? That's a question for the UIMA itself. I'm hoping (and guessing) that fundraising efforts are already underway, but if they're not, then someone needs to light a fire under it and fast. There needs to be an aggressive, capital campaign that taps into the resources of art alumni from Iowa, alumni from Iowa- as well as supporters of the arts across the Midwest. The Hospital and the Athletics Department have little problem picking up money because they go after and tap their Alumni- the UIMA and the Art School need to start doing the same thing NOW. If you can show an aggressive plan for fundraising and a capital campaign to rebuild the campus to the Regents and the public, it'll take the wind out of the sails of this campaign to sell the Pollock. Now isn't the time to glad-hand the usual suspects for money- the public has to know and has to know NOW. Shout it from the rooftops already and think up a kick-ass slogan and start rallying the public behind it. Time is not on the side of the Arts Campus and they need to engage in the PR war with Gartner and Company over this issue. Statements from Sally Mason and Pam White are good, but not enough. The future needs to begin now- and has to be seized now.

This is what I think:

1. People have to wait their turn: I don't want to belittle the massive contributions and money that both the Hospital and the Athletics Department bring into the University, because both are key parts of the Institution as a whole, but the campus has just been through a major crisis. This isn't the time for turf wars and it's all hands on deck time, people. That means that the Hospital and the Athletics Department, if they want new renovations should push harder for private donations and take less money from the Regents so some of it can be directed for flood relief. The Hospital is one of the best teaching hospitals in the country and it won't stop being the best if it doesn't get it's expansion right this second. Same with Athletics- for once, they can wait in line, I think. (Not forever, just for a little bit.)

2. See Above: The Future Begins Now. There needs to be pressure on the UIMA and the Art Department to start aggressive fundraising right now. As soon as someone reads this. It needs a sexy slogan that you can put on a t-shirt, bumper sticker or a license plate and it should tap (as I said) art school alumni, supporters of the arts and the UIMA's existing donor base. All of which could be funneled into rebuilding not only the UIMA but the Arts Campus as well. DON'T WAIT TO DO THIS! START NOW! (I'm betting people have- and if they have, great, but there hasn't been enough publicity on it- people need to know who you are and what you're about, because as I've noted, not enough people do.)

3. What's In a New Museum: Ask the people. I like that idea- it's going to take awhile to build a new UIMA and it'll give you time to ask the people of Iowa City (and Iowa) what they look for in an Art Museum- find the most creative ideas and implement them. Another thing would be more space (you can show more of the Collection, because not many people realize that what you saw in the UIMA was only a fraction of what the University actually has) and think carefully about location. Downtown would be logical, but there's parking to think about.

Basically, the Museum and the Art School need to start getting information out to the public, because tucked away in their little corner of the University, they were a hidden treasure not many people would go and find out about. The Art School is one of the hidden gems of the University- same with the UIMA- and both of them need to stand up and prove that to the public as quickly as possible.

**It's also worth noting that an interesting rumor/tidbit of information showed up on the Facebook wall this afternoon- allegedly Mr. Gartner's wife is on the board of the Des Moines Arts Center. So what does this mean?

1. I don't know. (It may not even be true.)
2. If it is true, he should know better than to suggest selling the Pollock.
3. I think we should smack down any hint of some sort of nefarious conspiracy to snatch the Pollock away to Des Moines. The DMAC would have to buy it- and I think that'd be a tall order for most major Museums, much less DMAC. Plus, it's probably not even for sale if we have our way. So moot point.