White Supremacist and Sexist Art Curator Resigns in Disgrace

my attempt at a @Carl Herrera -like lede. with apologies to Carl

https://reason.com/2020/07/14/gary-garrels-san-francisco-museum-modern-art-racism/

Museum Curator Resigns After He Is Accused of Racism for Saying He Would Still Collect Art From White Men
Irate employees of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art said the removal of Gary Garrels was "non-negotiable."
ROBBY SOAVE | 7.14.2020 1:35 PM

Until last week, Gary Garrels was senior curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). He resigned his position after museum employees circulated a petition that accused him of racism and demanded his immediate ouster.

"Gary's removal from SFMOMA is non-negotiable," read the petition. "Considering his lengthy tenure at this institution, we ask just how long have his toxic white supremacist beliefs regarding race and equity directed his position curating the content of the museum?"

This accusation—that Garrels' choices as an art curator are guided by white supremacist beliefs—is a very serious one. Unsurprisingly, it does not stand up to even minimal scrutiny.

The petitioners cite few examples of anything even approaching bad behavior from Garrels. Their sole complaint is that he allegedly concluded a presentation on how to diversify the museum's holdings by saying, "don't worry, we will definitely still continue to collect white artists."

Garrels has apparently articulated this sentiment on more than one occasion. According to artnet.com, he said that it would be impossible to completely shun white artists, because this would constitute "reverse discrimination." That's the sum total of his alleged crimes. He made a perfectly benign, wholly inoffensive, obviously true statement that at least some of the museum's featured artists would continue to be white. The petition lists no other specific grievances.

You might think that one of the most prominent art curators in the country—with 20 years of experience at SFMOMA—would be able to weather such a pathetically weak accusation of racism. But in the current cultural moment, it appears not. Garrels promptly resigned.

In a statement announcing his decision to step down, Garrels apologized for the harm his words caused, only slightly disputing the absurd charge against him. " I do not believe I have ever said that it is important to collect the art of white men," he said, according to artnet.com. "I have said that it is important that we do not exclude consideration of the art of white men."

Suffice it to say that this is not the language of a white supremacist. Those who say otherwise—that Garrels is guilty of racism—have stripped the word of its potency. They have shown once again that the signatories of the recent Harper's letter were entirely correct that the progressive drive to purge lofty institutions of racism and sexism has frequently gone astray, in a manner that threatens both free inquiry and common decency. The 1793 Project continues.
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silence is violence

 

Turley fans alert

@jiggyfly @Major

https://jonathanturley.org/2020/07/...efusing-to-bar-acquisitions-by-white-artists/

Leading Curator Resigns After Being Denounced As A “White Supremacist” For Refusing To Bar Acquisitions By White Artists
by jonathanturley
July 15, 2020

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We have been discussing the campaigns to remove faculty who voice dissenting views on the current protests or underlying issues. The art world has now been swept into this disturbing trend where critics label any opposing views as racist and demand the removal of anyone who questions their demands. That was the case with Gary Garrels the long-standing senior curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). He resigned after museum employees circulated a petition that accused him of racism because he simply stated that, while seeking to diversify the artists featured in the collection, he would not bar acquisitions of artists simply because they are white. That would not only decouple ignore the inherent value of the art but apply a racial discriminatory rule.

The petition by Garrels’ colleagues and staff details statements that would seem entirely appropriate, if not essential, for an institution committed to featuring the greatest artistic works. The petition declares “Gary’s removal from SFMOMA is non-negotiable. Considering his lengthy tenure at this institution, we ask just how long have his toxic white supremacist beliefs regarding race and equity directed his position curating the content of the museum?” Given that hyperbolic language, I assumed that the petition would reveal a virtual Bull Connor of the art world. Instead, the petition is headed by the what the signers indicate is the most offensive example of such “white supremacist beliefs”:



According to artnet.com, he also said previously that to bar artists based solely on the fact that they are white would constitute “reverse discrimination.” Forced to resign, Garrels apologized for any insult that he may have caused but reaffirmed that “I do not believe I have ever said that it is important to collect the art of white men. I have said that it is important that we do not exclude consideration of the art of white men.”

If that is truly the full extent of Garrels’ offensive comments, the only thing more surprising than the language of the petition was its obvious success. We previously discussed quotas imposed for the gender of subjects shown in art as raising the same underlying controversy.

Garrels was criticized for accepting major pieces of art because the artists were not minorities. This includes an agreement with Gap founders Donald and Doris Fisher to take on their 1,100-piece collection of modern art.

I am less concerned about the ultimate merits as I am with the absence of support for these allegations against someone who has served the museum and the art community for so many years. Rather than offer specifics, Garrel was attacked as a white supremacist and racist. As has become a common feature in such attacks, his arguments were dismissed as “dog whistles” for other racists. The campaign was successful as have many such campaigns on college campuses.​