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“Review: SFMOMA’s Expansion Sets a New Standard for Museums,” NY Times

by Roberta Smith | Jun 07, 2016

The New York Times’ review of the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art praises its potential positive influence on the museums of the future. SFMOMA, which just opened its doors this week after several years of construction offers ten stories of new galleries and exhibits. The new buildings offer triple the gallery space from their predecessor, “raising museum standards for synergy between interior and exterior; between art viewing and viewer comfort; and between galleries and circulation.”

Roberta Smith, the reviewer, shares statistics about the new museum space and also writes that “the main promised gift here, a large 1953 triptych by the abstract painter Lee Mullican, is a knockout.” That piece comes from the collection of Thom Weisel and family.

Much of the art in the museum comes from the late 20th and 21st centuries, which Smith believes is strongest in parts of the Fisher Collection photography display. That collection features works by Carl Andre, Gerhard Richter, Georg Baselitz, Brice Marden, and others.

The review also covers some of the shows and exhibits visitors can now attend at SFMOMA. Many of these shows were made possible by donations and loans from collectors. According to the article, “the predominance of new arrivals means that most of the shows are, above all, thank-you notes to donors.” New art is all around the museum, including an “Open-Ended” exhibition, which contains a Surrealist collection, works by Dalí and Joseph Cornell. Three galleries are dedicated to postwar art specifically from Northern California.

Artworks from Thomas Weisel will be housed in three California-focused galleries that will be named the Thomas Weisel Family Galleries.

by Roberta Smith | Jun 07, 2016