Rose closes - temporarily - but art lovers express anguish
Visitors fear for Brandeis museum's holdings
WALTHAM - When the Rose Museum opened at noon yesterday, Joan Gelch, Brandeis University Class of 1959, was at the door waiting. She had visited the Rose only once before. On this day, though, she felt compelled to stop by.
"I wanted to see the collection - the whole collection or whatever they bring out - for the last time," said Gelch, 70, visiting from Rhode Island for her 50-year reunion. "This collection is one of a kind and they'll never be able to replace it."
Yesterday marked the closing of the Rose's temporary exhibitions on 20th-century abstract expressionist Hans Hofmann and a second show, "Saints & Sinners." The day had special significance because on July 22, when the museum's doors reopen, the Rose will probably not have a proper director or curator.
That's the result of the university's still-developing plans to change the Rose's mission and sell some of its art.
Brandeis administrators have backed down from an announcement made in January that the Rose would be shut down.
But director Michael Rush, whose job ends June 30, said yesterday in a phone interview that "the Rose, as we have known it, is closing."
Meanwhile, an advisory committee created to consider the future of the Rose pushes on.
"I would say it is confusing," said Catherine Donaghy, who visited the Rose yesterday. "I'm here to see it in case it isn't here anymore."
Close to 9,000 people - three times the usual attendance - have visited the Rose since January, when Brandeis made its first announcement regarding the Rose.
"It's an outrage," said Ellen Stutman, an artist from Cambridge.
Those thoughts were echoed by others visiting yesterday, in some cases for the first time.
"It's a great loss for the university, the community, and people want to see this collection," said David Scherer, a 31-year-old scientist from Somerville.
Still, some at the museum said they understood the university's perspective.
Brandeis officials have said their decision to potentially sell art from the Rose collection is motivated by the university's budget crisis.
"These are difficult decisions," said Janet Zimmern, a Brandeis graduate who majored in art. "If there's no university, there's no Rose Museum."
"I hesitate to use the word 'wrong' because I don't know what went into the decision," said Allston's Atissa Banuazizi, 37, who frequently goes to the Institute of Contemporary Art and Museum of Fine Arts but was making her first visit to the Rose. "I just think it's really unfortunate it came to this point."
Inside the Rose yesterday, activity was slow in the first hour. But as the afternoon continued, a steady flow of people walked in and picked through the last dozen or so "Save The Rose" buttons at the front desk, then walked through the galleries, past large, abstract canvases, video monitors, and works by such artists as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Wassily Kandinsky.
Across campus, Brandeis president Jehuda Reinhartz made references to the Rose in his commencement address as he spoke of the university's budgetary challenges.
Rush, who had hoped to make it back for the closing, was at an airport in Cleveland returning from the Kansas City Art Institute, where he delivered a commencement address Saturday.
Not everyone at the Rose even knew about the controversy over the museum, which has sparked a petition campaign that has garnered more than 5,000 signatures and turned the museum's glass front wall into a sea of protest signs.
Nathaniel and Regina Greenspan, who live in Maryland, were in town for a family bar mitzvah and came to the Rose for the Hofmann exhibition.
"It's very unusual and fine work and not the sort of thing displayed anyplace else," Nathaniel Greenspan said.
Barbara and Edmund Tavernier, in from Switzerland to watch their son, Greg, graduate, had opposing feelings about the Rose.
After walking through, they stood on the front steps and debated the merits of the museum.
"I frankly believe it makes no difference whether you have these paintings or not," said Edmund. "This is very static, from what I see. I'd rather see a place that has signs of life."
"You're wrong," said Barbara. "It's a shame, whether you like the paintings or not. It's part of our 20th-century culture. If the university has to raise money, it's a question of what the alternatives are."
That's when Greg piped in.
"And if the alternative to selling these pieces would be to improve the quality of teaching, I think it's worth it."
Geoff Edgers can be reached at gedgers@globe.com. 