I realize that your Marxist ideology, Saul, declares that all decisions reflect "economic, social, and cultural circumstances" -- but it's been so difficult for you to show what special circumstances might be reflected by cultural diversity. (that wouldn't also be reflected by an intolerant ethno-centrism)
And if we examine the choices made by individual collectors/curators, your difficulty will be even greater. (I don't expect you to even try to provide an example) Currently, the gallery of South Asian sculpture at the A.I.C. is almost 70% the result of one collector who recently gave a ton of stuff to the museum. He seemed to like the depiction of animals (elephants, cows) and to be aiming for variety of unusual genres rather than excellence in any one of them. What specific economic, social, and cultural circumstances could that reflect -- that differs from those collectors that came before him? And then there was the 19C. Spanish engraver whose collection of Renaissance drawings passed through Evanston last month. He was especially fond of Luca Cambiaso --perhaps too fond, since he collected bad forgeries as well as great originals. How could that preference be reflected by his economic, social, and cultural circumstances? I have pity for the poor undergraduate art students who end up at your school, Saul, but this is America, land of freedom, and the land of caveat emptor. >this last is utter nonsense - its the type of things I hear form underrgraduates who are just becoming socially aware - and I guest they get it from people like you who aren't aware ____________________________________________________________ Click here to find the perfect banking opportunity! http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/fc/BLSrjnxXwV0SK4nCjPxcDL16sbdI05 s6PO8pH4fwDIc8DJj3mVIiLBVzi2M/
