My correlation stated here will have hairs bristling but I think it is a good one. During Hitler’s march through Europe, he and Marshall Goering stole a preponderance of great art for their personal collections. Now we have the ‘political bigwigs’ in Pennsylvania and the business ‘robber barons’ and misguided ‘charitable’ organizations (Pew, Lenfest, Annenberg) doing the same thing as they, with their vast amount of millions of dollars and through a great deal of underhanded legal finagling and short sightedness, are on a mad course to steal the great Barnes Foundation art collection. The attempt is to move the great Barnes Collection a hop, skip and jump away, to the Parkway in Center City Philadelphia near the present Art Museum. This is merely a manipulation to gain puff, increase tourism and added revenue for the city.

The Barnes building and adjacent arboretum can never be duplicated in a yet to be designed and built new museum. It is a dangerous and foolhardy attempt when the Barnes is so easily accessible by car, bus or jitney bus.

As a freelance photographer and artist, I have traveled around the world four times and have been to eighty countries. My passion is art and in every city I have visited my first stops are to the museums. In Paris, for example, the Louvre is a must and the D’Orsay within walking distance. But to get to the Pompidou you take a subway. To get to the Picasso Museum another short subway ride, the same to the Rodin, and then to more major and minor of the greatest museums in the world. A person who relishes seeing great art will not be limited by short excursions. Better still, I am delighted and invigorated by walking to each and admiring the architecture and ambiance of the city. With the Barnes so close to the Parkway, why not experience this same enjoyment?

The Barnes is struggling with finances and the wolves are at the door. It is ironic that the move may well cost over 200 million dollars while a fraction of that amount as a gift to Barnes would make them solvent for many many years to come. Dr.Barnes’ dream need not be turned into a nightmare.

My correlation stated here will have hairs bristling but I think it is a good one. During Hitler’s march through Europe, he and Marshall Goering stole a preponderance of great art for their personal collections. Now we have the ‘political bigwigs’ in Pennsylvania and the business ‘robber barons’ and misguided ‘charitable’ organizations (Pew, Lenfest, Annenberg) doing the same thing as they, with their vast amount of millions of dollars and through a great deal of underhanded legal finagling and short sightedness, are on a mad course to steal the great Barnes Foundation art collection. The attempt is to move the great Barnes Collection a hop, skip and jump away, to the Parkway in Center City Philadelphia near the present Art Museum. This is merely a manipulation to gain puff, increase tourism and added revenue for the city.

The Barnes building and adjacent arboretum can never be duplicated in a yet to be designed and built new museum. It is a dangerous and foolhardy attempt when the Barnes is so easily accessible by car, bus or jitney bus.

As a freelance photographer and artist, I have traveled around the world four times and have been to eighty countries. My passion is art and in every city I have visited my first stops are to the museums. In Paris, for example, the Louvre is a must and the D’Orsay within walking distance. But to get to the Pompidou you take a subway. To get to the Picasso Museum another short subway ride, the same to the Rodin, and then to more major and minor of the greatest museums in the world. A person who relishes seeing great art will not be limited by short excursions. Better still, I am delighted and invigorated by walking to each and admiring the architecture and ambiance of the city. With the Barnes so close to the Parkway, why not experience this same enjoyment?

The Barnes is struggling with finances and the wolves are at the door. It is ironic that the move may well cost over 200 million dollars while a fraction of that amount as a gift to Barnes would make them solvent for many many years to come. Dr.Barnes’ dream need not be turned into a nightmare.