Press release
453KB
april 06, 2020 - Brooklyn Museum
From Brooklyn With Love - A Letter from the Director
Dear Friends,
In my office at the #brooklynmuseum hangs a wonderful Fairfield Porter painting, Interior in Sunlight (1965). It depicts a child quietly reading in a chair, and a woman behind her staring out through a window into the distant sunlight. While her thoughts are unknown to us, and there is warmth from the glow of the light, there is also a profound sense of isolation and, perhaps, loneliness. This painting feels relevant to our here and now, when we must each come to terms with this public health crisis in our own way, even while staying connected with people we love and finding new ways to create moments of joy amid the pain. Wherever you are, I hope the Museum is a source of comfort, creativity, and inspiration right now. Most importantly, I hope you and yours are healthy.
Rest assured that team #brooklynmuseum has been working hard since our closure and remains committed to you, our community. We have expanded the content we offer across our digital platforms and have been sharing weekly newsletters with resources for all ages, including families and teachers, as well as activities and tools that engage our collection from afar. We've also been helping our city's relief efforts where we can. We recently sent 2,800 gloves normally used by our conservation team to New York's hospitals, while our wonderful food partners, Great Performances, fired up our kitchen to make 8,000 daily meals for health-care workers and seniors in need.
Like other cultural organizations, we also are grappling with serious financial issues and planning for an unprecedented―and therefore uncertain―future. But this isn't the first time our nearly 200-year-old institution has been through a crisis. From the Civil War to World War II, from the 1918 influenza pandemic to September 11th, we have an extraordinary history of serving our city and nation during moments of hardship, and of coming through stronger. The #brooklynmuseum is a survivor.
One thing is sure, with a population of over 2.5 million, Brooklyn needs us to come back strong. Brooklyn is among the communities hardest hit by COVID-19. I'm deeply concerned about the health, grief, and financial well-being of our neighbors. I worry about our children. How many of them went home from school without computers or access to the internet? How are they being educated at home, and how will they be able to catch up? Above all, how can we, your Museum, help?
Our city's artists and other cultural workers are also on my mind, as they are facing long-term economic hardships. This is a serious concern for us all since the arts is one of the largest industries in New York, and the vibrancy of our city relies on a strong cultural economy. It is imperative we find ways to help our cultural workers and creators navigate these troubling times. In the meantime, I am grateful for all the ways they are providing uplifting content for the world, and I look forward to seeing how they will help open hearts and minds, and help us heal.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to all our city's health-care workers, elected officials, and municipal employees who are doing all they can to meet the extraordinary challenges of our times. Likewise, know that we hold you—our friends who love and support our institution and who make us whole—in our hearts, as well.
As our Board, staff, and I navigate this difficult crisis, we find inspiration from our history of resiliency and in imagining our reopening. We hope it's soon, because we can't wait to welcome you back with open arms. Count on this: we will be here for you with powerful programming and service. In the meantime, know that we miss you.
As ever,
chjkòà
918x915, 257KB
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