In this documentary, we are brought through the hard- fought process of protecting the world’s most famous modern art collection from being exploited to the public. The founder fought his whole life to keep these treasures from being used for profit and up until his death he kept that promise. Unfortunately, not everyone had his same mindset and wanted to crush what he had built his legacy on.
In 1922, a man by the name of Albert Barnes established the Barnes Foundation. The Barnes Foundation is one of the most controversial and valuable collections of Post Impressionism and modern art in the entire world. Albert Barnes helped invent Argyrol which is where he acquired his fortune to buy these works of art. There are 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, 59 paintings by Matisse, 46 by Picasso, 7 by Van Goghs, and 6 paintings by Seurat. He kept this collection in a twelve- acre conservatory in Merion, Pennsylvania. Barnes was said to be way ahead of his time artistically, intellectually, and politically. He wanted his collection to be used solely for educational purposes and only by his students.
In the beginning, many critics, and newspapers talked down on this collection saying it was, “primitive, debased art.” Barnes knew that these statements were false and took this to heart. He used this hatred towards the main goal of his foundation. He did not want this art in any museums, or newspapers where the city of Philadelphia or anyone could make profit off them. Barnes quotes, “The main function of the museum has been to serve as a pedestal upon which a clique of socialites pose as patrons of the arts.” He only wanted people who really understood the value of his art and that could truly appreciate it. Years later when his collection became well known as important and valuable, everyone hated him. It was a battle between him and the city of Philadelphia.
Albert Barnes was very stubborn when it came to his ideals and the opinions of others. He understood that keeping his collection from the public would bring along hatred towards him and his legacy, but he did not care. Before dying in 1951 from a horrific automobile accident, Barnes, being the smart man he was, created a will in order to protect his prized possessions. Although Barnes was married, he had no children to take over his dream. He left his foundation to his protégé Violette De Mazia. She was one of the first teachers at the school who was one of Barnes main supporters, who he could trust to run it the same way he would. He sought this art to be forever held in his possession without it ever being sold, loaned or moved, and she kept it this way for 30 years until her passing. After this no one knew who would take over the establishment, because Barnes never told anyone he had changed his will to leave control to Lincoln University.
Lincoln University was a college for black males in America to receive a good education. He knew they were the farthest thing from being involved with the social drama that surrounded the art. For Barnes, he knew this would be a slap in the face to the city of Philadelphia. For years they protected the art until funds for the school started to diminish, and that is when the current president at the time, Richard Glanton, created an art advisory board. They collected very well- known art critics from around the country to be trustees. At this time, the building in Merion where the paintings hung started to deteriorate, and would soon be unfit to hold them anymore.
Unfortunately, instead of raising money through charity to restore the gallery they decided to rent the paintings out to museums across the world. This was not a bad idea to raise money, but it was the exact thing that Barnes wrote in his will that he did not want to happen. The advisory board did not support this idea, and that is when Glanton took to the press and showed a reporter everything that was wrong with the building including leaky roofs, and a broken climate control system. This is just what he needed in order to get the judge to sign off on the closing of the foundation for a couple years and allowing the paintings to be rented out while it was being redone. They interview and include Glanton in many parts of this movie, they let him explain his side of the story and show us why he did what he did. Glanton warns us that removing him from the board was the worst decision they could have made. The directors come back to him after all is said and done to prove that he was correct in making that statement.
The documentary gives great insight from both sides of this controversy and lets the viewers see directly into the eyes of both without being biased. They do this by interviewing people who supported keeping the Barnes foundation in Merion, and by interviewing the other side who wanted the art in museums. I think the directors did this on purpose so it was not single sided and would keep people second guessing themselves on which side to take. While watching this I first sided with Barnes, but as it continued I began to question my decision. I really respected Barnes perspective of keeping these priceless paintings for educational purposes only, and I hated the opposing side trying to compromise them just to bring tourism and profit. But there are so many people in the world that love art for the way it is, and would do anything to be able to learn more about these paintings created by the most iconic artists of all time. With these paintings being kept in a residential neighborhood not open to the public; how can you not try to fight to let the world in on the most famous Post Impressionism and modern art. I enjoyed watching this documentary because it gave a story line to follow and kept me interested without knowing any prior knowledge. Until the end of it I thought that the Barnes Foundation would stay at its home when in fact the complete opposite happened.
