Gallery needs the wow factor
Re: Attendance at shows plummeting, Dec. 13.
The National Gallery claims it doesn’t know why attendance has been falling for 15 years. The answer is painfully clear, at least to those who go to the gallery in the hope of seeing something interesting or significant in the world of artistic endeavour at a reasonable price.
The first time I went many years ago, I was interested to see the wonderful architecture of the building located on an outstanding site overlooking the Ottawa River. As time went by I went to various exhibits such as Renoir and Van Gogh. Most of these special exhibits were very disappointing, the worst being the Van Gogh. After each visit my friends would look at each other and comment that they were sorry we bothered to drive downtown, negotiate the traffic, pay parking and fees of about $60 to $70 and fail to see anything that drew us to the exhibit based on our expectations.
Our interest waned overtime as there were too many occasions when exhibits were simply not worth the effort of making the trip. It’s always nice to see the old Canadian art standards and a few Old Masters, but that warrants only a limited number of visits.
Increased attendance will only occur when the wow factor is introduced to the management of the exhibits instead of the stodgy presentation of its standard fare. Putting a bent can or bottle on a pedestal does not make it sufficiently interesting or artistically significant to bring me back to the gallery any time soon.
Raymond Foote, Ottawa
Related
Leave easy, modern stuff at the dump
Re: Cautious about contemporary art, Dec. 16.
“This is something that is deeply mysterious,” says Marc Mayer, National Gallery Director and CEO, that people do not show interest in contemporary art. It’s not so mysterious. I do not like to see hard-earned dollars going to garage projects by the million.
There is a difference between raw creativity and art. And it is Mayer’s job to figure out the difference. Simple: discipline, rules, esthetics and skills. Leave the easy stuff where it belongs: at the dump.
Jean Morin, Ottawa
Art should be free
Re: Where have all the people gone? The National Gallery deals with a daunting problem, Dec. 12.
My suggestion for improving attendance at the National Gallery is to eliminate entrance fees. Encourage people to come. Suggest that the cafeteria is a great place to meet. Open it up to the people of this country again.
When I was a teen I spent many an hour waiting for a bus in the warmth of the gallery on Elgin Street. This developed into a lifelong appreciation of art. I even became a “friend” of the gallery (donor) until it instituted admittance fees. A national gallery should be free to its citizens. Making access to art only available to those who can pay creates a climate where art is considered elitist.
Lorna Kingston, Ottawa
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