EVEN-HANDEDNESS is a total drag most of the time. In spite of all the familiar complaints so often lodged against activist documentary filmmakers, the fact is that what most of us are looking for in these kinds of films are, quite frankly, new lightning rods for our liberal indignation. To this end, allow me to submit The Art of the Steal: a compelling new doc about wealthy misanthrope Dr. Albert C. Barnes, who spent the better part of his adult life assembling what has since become one of the most enviable (and valuable) collections of post-impressionist art in the world—all the while grudgefully pledging to keep it out of the hands of all those philistines at the national museums. What unfolds following Barnes’ heir-less death is a tale of conspiracy, greed, and political outrage that’s so satisfyingly one-sided, you’ll hardly question whether or not Barnes was entirely just in his intentions—or even consider the fact that he might have just been a total dick. As farfetched as some of its characterizations might seem, The Art of the Steal has the good sense just to run with it—and if you aren’t outraged by the time the credits roll, you must be thinking too much.
Art Outrage
The Satisfyingly One-Sided The Art of the Steal
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If he was a total dick or a misanthrope, then, why, nearly 60 years after his death, do we still owe Doc Barnes the enormous debt of gratitude that we do for amassing and preserving such an important art collection for America. Why are rich Foundations jockeying for control over EVERYTHING BARNES? No other American Collector can claim the title that he can and he loved everyday Americans. He supported the very poor through Charity. He supported African Americans at a time when the KKK was lynching them & other wealthy people were making them sit at the BACK OF THE BUS. He is America’s Art Collector. Einstein walked the grounds at Merion. The Father of American Higher Education, John Dewey, was Doc Barnes’ best friend and taught at Merion. Doc Barnes’ Wife, Laura Barnes, was the First Lady oF American Horticulture and built an incredible garden complementing the collection in Merion. Now, it is time to give him the respect that is due and make his Beaux Arts Mansion and his art collection in Merion a National Landmark. The same man who designed the Barnes Mansion, designed The Overseas Memorial at Flanders Field, Waregam, Belgium, The Univ. of Texas at Austin (seen on Austin City Limits) and the Federal Reserve Bldg. The Barnes is a World Heritage Landmark and a living place that recalls America’s Innocence of the 1920s. The only people Barnes didn’t like were those of shallow and superficial bent, much like the Philly Rich people who are trying to gut his Landmark School and Foundation and remove it from its special American place in Merion to make a Faux Vanity McBarnes Project in Philthydelphia. The Move is an insult to all historically-minded Americans. We need to think very deeply about this and we should all be ashamed of ourselves if we let this go through (it is costing over $125 MILLION in TAX DOLLARS while our poor go without & our elderly and disabled are being cut). WRITE YOUR SENATOR & OBAMA – STOP THE BARNES MOVE!!! See Barnesfriends.org