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Artist John Baldessari Quits MOCA Board In Protest
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Artist John Baldessari announced that he was resigning from the board of MOCA in protest of recent changes at the (up-until-recently) world-class museum.Like many others, Baldessari hasn't been happy with the museum's decision to fire its well-respected chief curator Paul Schimmel without bringing anyone on board to fill the spot. He told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that "to live with my conscience I just had to do it." Baldessari has been on MOCA's board since 2000, and he is the fifth trustee to leave since February, according to the Times.
It appears that the world-class museum is in serious financial trouble. Some have criticized the museum for its new pop-culture slant ever since it brought on Jeffrey Deitch as director. But art world experts on "Which Way, L.A.?" said one of the biggest problem with bringing Deitch on is that he didn't have a background managing the finances of a major arts institution—something MOCA sorely needs.
Related:
MOCA 'Amicably' Fires Chief Curator Paul Schimmel, Art Community Rages
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