"Anti-Mainstream Museum's Mainstream Show" by Roberta Smith; 2010

Roberta Smith reviews the show "Skin Fruit" that was presented at the New Museum in the spring of 2010. She mostly speaks negatively about the show as a whole, explaining that it seemed antithetical to the ideological basis of the museum. She explains that it is poorly curated and is ultimately complacent.

Should the New Museum focus more on showing the work of artists that are less known?

Should so much attention be given to the curatorial work of a show?

Should the New Museum change their name?

"A New Boss, and a Jolt of Real-World Expertise" by Roberta Smith; 2010

Roberta Smith discusses Jeffrey Deitch's new position as the director of the Museum of Contemporary art in Los Angeles. She explains that this could be a change in the way museums choose directors: moving away from the "academically trained directors in favor of the autodidacts."

Is there something suspicious about a big New York art dealer to become the director of a museum?

Will this make the museum more exciting?

Will this make the museum more corrupt?

"Who Needs a White Cube These Days?" by Roberta Smith; 2006

Roberta Smith discusses how various groups and gallery owners have found different ways of approaching the gallery that contrasts the traditional "white cube." She explains that some spaces are more transparent, while others do not sell work at all. In the end, she explains that although many have approached the gallery differently, these examples do not usually survive for very long.

Is there something wrong with the traditional gallery space?

What does it mean for an already prominent gallery owner to create a new alternative space?

Is it important for galleries to be transparent?

Among the Inept, Researchers Discover, Ignorance Is Bliss By ERICA GOODE; 2000

Erica Goode presents the research of Dr. Dunning, a professor of psychology at Cornell University. His research tries to prove that people that are not good at something usually believe that they are, while people that are good at something usually believe that they are not.

Rumsfeld's Unkown Known, or Iraq's Initiation into Democratic Practice by Slavoj Zizek

Slavoj Zizek discusses American torture and how there is a "total lack of guilt by way of remaining ignorant of what is known." Zizek compares American torture to Iraqi torture, pointing out that the Iraqi approach is "anonymous brutalism" and and America creates a spectacle. He concludes by stating that America is the most dangerous kind of power because it takes the position of "merely defending itself."

"Antagonism and Relational Aesthetics" by Claire Bishop

Claire Bishop writes about Bourriaud's interpretation of relational aesthetics by summarizing his point of view. She discusses the work of Liam Gillick and Rirkrit Tiravanija because Bourriaud uses them as prime examples of artists that work with relational aesthetics. Bishop contrasts these artists with the work of Thomas Hirschorn and Santiago Sierra. She claims that the work of Hirschorn and Sierra is better because it is more politically focused, less open-ended, and more democratic.

"How Marina Abromavic's Red-Velvet Rope at the MoMA Works" by Mark Byrne; 2010

In this article, Mark Byrne writes about Marina Abromavic's performance The Artist is Present and how the line to see the artist is, "anything but democratic." He explains that VIP guests have priority in line over public guests.

I saw this performance at the MoMA and watched several guests sit with the artist, although I am not surprised that there was VIP access. The whole vibe of the exhibition was so serious and intense. I would not want my work to come off so pretentious and self absorbed.

Why does Mark Byrne talk about the politics of the line rather than the whole performance?

Is Mark Byrne suggesting that it would be more fair if everyone, celebrities included, had to wait in the back of the line?

How does this VIP access influence the performance?