I am at this moment visiting the new Art of the America’s Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts. The building is magnificent. Famed Architect Lord Norman Foster’s characteristic eye for detail is evident throughout. This is a huge achievement for the Museum and for the City of Boston.
In his remarks, Congressman Michael Capuano hailed the new Wing as a symbol of welcome to all. He noted that growing up as the son and grandson of shoemakers, he did not always feel welcome at the MFA. He expressed the hope that all New Englanders will come to view the museum as their own.
The good intentions of the Wing are clear. Bridging the cultures in this hemisphere of strangers is a worthy and overdue endeavor. To an observer of my background, the exhibition’s suggestion of equivalence between the 18th century art and culture of Mexico and South America and that of the fledgling 13 American colonies is a little out of balance. But hometown pride is understandable especially in this splendid moment of achievement.
The Quai Branly museum (of world cultures) in Paris, unwittingly tells us more about how the locals –in this case the French — see “other” world cultures than it does about the cultures themselves. While there is some of that here, the long history of genuine interest in world cultures in New England encourages me to view the Wing as the opening of a friendly conversation that will further open Boston to the world and the world to Boston.
Full-time BU students are admitted free with ID.
View museum director Malcolm Rogers’ remarks on the opening.
