ArtsJournal.com has a problem with the NY Times art critic Grace Glueck being on the board of the trustees for the Clark Art Institute. The Journal wants to know:
- Did Glueck's role at the museum in any way influence this past Sunday's Times story on the Clark?
- In June, 2005, the Times reviewed a Jacques-Louis David show at the Clark instead of at the originating institution, the J. Paul Getty Museum. Did the Times skip the Getty presentation in deference to a colleague's institution? The Times ran two stories on David at the Clark -- and none on David at the Getty.
- Why are there so many more stories in the NYT's arts section about the Clark than about virtually any other museum outside New York City that has a comparable (~$11 million per year) budget?
Good questions. And it's not as if this is business as usual for the Times. Their own ethics policy clearly states:
"[Times staff] may not join boards of trustees, advisory committees or similar groups except those serving journalistic organizations or otherwise promoting journalism education,"
Talk about losing your base! What say you, Pinch?
