Guggenheim chairman quits in protest

On Jan. 19, as a result of increasing displeasure with the way Guggenheim Museum director Thomas Krens has run the museum, board chairman Peter B. Lewis resigned after more than six years in the top post. As quoted in the New York Times, Lewis said that the museum should "concentrate more on New York and less on being scattered all over the world." Plans for satellites in Taiwan and Rio de Janeiro have been on and off, and a feasibility study is under way for a branch in Guadalajara.

Since joining the board in 1993, Lewis has been the museum's biggest benefactor. The Cleveland-based philanthropist and chairman of Progressive Corporation has given some $77 million, far surpassing the largesse of other trustees. In 2002, he contributed $12 million to bail the Guggenheim out of a budget crunch, adding a stern warning to Krens to change his big-spending ways. More recently, Lewis gave $15 million to help restore the flagship museum's Frank Lloyd Wright rotunda. Though Krens oversaw a major renovation and expansion (completed in 1992) early in his tenure, the architectural landmark's need for upkeep is becoming ever more visible. Last year, the Guggenheim added five members to its board, which might help fill the financial hole created by Lewis's departure. According to the Times, most of the trustees still support Krens's expansionist goals.

In recent years, the Guggenheim's reputation has been called into question by critics who allege that blockbusters such as "The Art of the Motorcycle" (1998) and "Giorgio Armani" (2000) are intended mainly to boost revenue by pandering to mass audiences. But the museum has also mounted high-caliber shows, including the James Rosenquist, Matthew Barney and Malevich exhibitions (all 2003) and "1900: Art at the Crossroads" (2000). Despite the museum's stumbles--including failed branches in SoHo and Las Vegas, and the shelving of plans for a branch in Salzburg and a new Frank Gehry-designed facility in Manhattan--the Berlin Guggenheim and the smaller Guggenheim Hermitage in Las Vegas are still going strong. And, as everyone knows, the Guggenheim Bilbao is a smash hit.

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