Is that the company owned by Moishe's moving?

I'm pleased mana Contemporary is on board to play this important part in doing the survey, they are a very impressive outfit and they are local too. But I have to say its astonishing that the survey of the collection had never existed in the first place. People patting themselves on the back for all the great work they did at the museum over the years need a reality check. How could they even call themselves a museum when they never bothered to make an actual list of what they had in the collection? Why wasn't that the first priority back in 2001 when they spent all that money on their new building on Montgomery? They burned through hundreds of thousands of dollars and went bankrupt but they never made a list of what they were mismanaging. Amazing.

Council approves contract to perform inventory of Jersey City Museum

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal
on December 23, 2012 at 2:06 PM

A $74,160 contract to a city firm that will perform a complete inventory of the Jersey City Museum was approved unanimously by the City Council Wednesday night.
There are more than 10,000 pieces in the museum, which shut its doors two years ago amid financial struggles.

It reopened again this summer for limited exhibitions after the Jersey City Medical Center purchased the Montgomery Street facility and moved some of its administrative offices there.

Maryanne Kelleher, the city's cultural affairs director, told the council Monday that the city has a "fiduciary responsibility" to make sure all the art work is accounted for.

City firm Mana Contemporary will perform the inventory, providing the city a list of every object in the collection, as well as photographs of each piece.

Only two other firms submitted bids for the museum inventory project. One did not provide a quote, the other asked for $264,984.

Kelleher said all the city's efforts to obtain an inventory from museum officials were "unsuccessful."

Jersey City Museum officials could not be reached to comment.

The Montgomery Street museum closed its doors in December 2010, after years of struggling with lackluster fundraising and decreasing city funding. In 2009, the city gave the museum $625,000 in funding. By 2011, the amount was zero.

Founded in 1901 as part of the Jersey City Free Public Library, the museum has been housed in its Montgomery Street facility since 2001.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... il_approves_contract.html

Is the museum open today?

I've seen the postings that it is open Saturdays from noon to 3, but I called to check and the number is disconnected.

Thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunsthalle

Is this in anticipation of a deaccession? I don't understand the need for this city to maintain a collection. However, I think using the building just as an exhibition space would be a good idea and useful to the arts community.

So what was the decision?

Jersey City wants $74K to pay for inventory of Jersey City Museum

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal
December 19, 2012 at 3:38 PM

Jersey City officials have requested the City Council approve a $74,160 contract to a city firm to perform an inventory of the art housed at the Jersey City Museum.

There are more than 10,000 pieces in the museum, and the city has a ?fiduciary responsibility? to make sure all the pieces are there, Maryanne Kelleher, the city?s cultural affairs director, told the council Monday.

City firm Mana Contemporary would perform the inventory if the council approves the contract at its meeting tonight. Mana would be tasked with providing the city a list of every object in the collection, as well as photographs of each piece.

Only two other firms submitted bids for the museum inventory project. One did not provide a quote, the other asked for $264,984.

Kelleher said all the city?s efforts to obtain an inventory from museum officials were ?unsuccessful.?

Jersey City Museum officials could not be reached to comment.

The Montgomery Street museum closed its doors in December 2010, after years of struggling with lackluster fundraising and decreasing city funding. In 2009, the city gave the museum $625,000 in funding. By 2011, the amount was zero.

Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop in May 2011 proposed a measure creating a committee that would have taken stock of the museum's collection, a plan that Mayor Jerramiah Healy said at the time would ?stymie? the city?s own efforts to draw up an inventory.

Founded in 1901 as part of the Jersey City Free Public Library, the museum has been housed in its Montgomery Street facility since 2001.

The museum opened its doors this summer for limited exhibitions after the Jersey City Medical Center purchased the facility.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... y_wants_74k_to_pay_f.html

Quote:

I am a casual art lover and visited the museum often when it was open for business and was not in obvious dire straights. I have no axe to grind either way, and I am delighted that the museum is still in existence and it looks like it will survive. But, I gotta agree with Frankie...

He totally nailed it when he said the "old museum failed its community." He is not alone in his feelings about the mismanagment of this cultural asset.

What I would like to hear about are plans for the resurrection of the museum and how the museum is trying to secure funds -- including corporate sponsorships.

Also, it would be interesting to learn about the plans to re-organize and perhaps how it may have learned from past mistakes. Also, although I have consistently heard that the museum was welcoming to the community, at least some people never felt that way.

Quote:

What museum on the planet allows you to do this? Why is this an expectation?

Sammy the T thanks for your reply. I know I come off sounding like I have a chip on my shoulder and I can tell you why: its because I have a chip on my shoulder. The amount of money the failure of the old Museum took out of the cultural community of this city was tragic, maybe criminal. When I see someone representing the Museum today dismissing peoples bitter recollections about the Museums history as "rumor mongering" by "Pseudointelectualls" I get the strong feeling those working at the Museum today have misunderstood something important about the way the old Museum failed its community. The Museum has a lot to atone for and offhand dismissals of legitimate criticism is not going to make me optimistic about the future of the Museum.

I met Mark Rodrick in 1997, long before he joined the JC Museum Board. He's been spending many hours a week, as a volunteer, for the last 4 years insuring the survival of the Museum and it's collection. In 2006, the Museum published a book - "FIRST LOOK, The Essential Guilde to Jersey City Museum" which catalogues most of the holdings. I bought several copies and have 1 in front of me now. Mark is working on having the entire collection photographed and digitized. The building is now owned by LibertyHealth (Jersey City Medical Center). LibertyHealth controls programming in the auditorium and is open to its use by community groups. It has been used a great deal. I attended 3 events there in 2012. Long term, we need a great new facility in an easily-accessible location to house the Jersey City Museum and I believe we'll accomplish this - but it will take time. For now, Mark is a hero in my eyes.

So where will we be able to view a complete list of the Museums artifacts and artwork? Also what about the question of former Museum staffers at work today in the Museum? Also it would be great to hear the Museums plans for the auditorium its keeping shuttered and weather or not there are any plans for its use......I wonder if anyone could just cut and paste the Museum's Mission Statement here, I would love to see what they stated goals of the Museum are and how it defines its roll in the community.

These anonymous postings perpetuate rumors only. All are welcome to visit the JCMuseum. All are welcome to view our works of art. All are welcome to review our audited financial statements. All are welcome to the truth. 1. All funding from the City of Jersey City has been suspended for over 42 months. 2. All of the works of art are catalogued 3. All of the day to day operations at the museum are performed by volunteers. That is all. Mark Rodrick Board of Trustees/Treasurer (Donor of Time/Donor of Dollars)

I have to say, as a Pseudo Intellectual I found Roderick's stream of recent posts short on Intilectualness. Also what about the concerns noted about lack of information on the Museum website, why was that issue not addressed? What of the suggestion to open the magnificent auditorium to public use? Its a cultural asset that belongs to the community and it is sitting unused. Why? Mostly I would just like to be assured that no personality that was associated with the failed -possibly corrupt- museum of the past will have anything to do with this museum ( OUR Museum) in the present or future. Intellectuals like me, and the other kinds of intellectuals too, want to know if there will be a catalogue of the artwork and artifacts the Museum owns or had owned. If there was not one in the past (an abomination if there was not), surely there would have to be one made now. And if one is not in the works I would like to know why not. Surely records of some sort were kept by the old museum? Even if the old staff was made up entirely of pseudo intellectuals, they must have had records of SOMETHING.

Mana Art is a for-profit corporation, we are a non-profit 501-C3 organization, we have never collaborated with Mana Art and do not require storage, framing or management of the collection. The Jersey City Musuem has a permanent collection gathered over decades by the generosity of the city's constituents donating their precious art works.

We re-opened on June 30th, we had over 200 visitors that day alone, we had no corporate sponsorship, we have been open Saturdays, we need the public to know we have started anew, we need to alert the public these forums of anonymous banter by pseudointellectuals are only rumor, once FEMA has concluded its monumental task more exhibits are forethcoming. Mark Rodrick Board of Trustees/Treasurer

Quote:

Thanks for clearing that up, way too many I know everything on here and conclusion jumpers.

We were an active particpant in JC Fridays, on December 7th, we were open for on site tours of the collection, our hours of operation were posted on the JCFridays.com website as well as a description of the exisiting exhibits. Mark Rodrick, Trustee/Treasurer

We are not out of business, the Jersey City Musuem offered its two galleries and atrium space temporarily to FEMA; in response to the storm damage made by Hurricane Sandy. Mark Rodrick, Board of Trustees, Treasurer.

August Will was removed from the Garcia Gallery and Masters from the Permanent Collection remain for public viewing within the Main Gallery.

Agree with previous post. I'm not as concerned with the location. Also, could we get a little more Jersey City flavor or artists involved with the decision making...like a Kaws, etc.

http://www.kawsone.com/blog

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162- ... kaws-reaches-new-heights/

I wish Mana Contemporary would take over and have some presence downtown. The museum is a great little building and could revitalize that neighborhood if they could get their act together. I would be perfectly fine with corporate influence in this case.

I sure hope that museum is closed. what a waste of money. It is too far to be convenient for most. If the City were smart, it would incorporate some type of museum/gallery in the ARTS district.

Quote:

Since you asked:

1.) There's nothing listed under "Current Exhibitions"

2.) Absolutely nothing listed under the Events Calendar.

3.) All exhibitions displayed on the main page's rotating banner are for the Fall of 2010.

These are all clear indications to me that something is amiss!

Quote:

Actually, it says: "Galleries open by appointment for academic research. Please email info@jerseycitymuseum.org to inquire. "

The site gives you an e-mail address and clearly states visits are for research purposes. I guess there's a difference between what you've read and what you think you've read.

http://www.jerseycitymuseum.org/index.cfm

Can anyone look at that website and tell me that there's any indication whatsoever that this museum is closed?

I mean it's just ridiculous, all it says is that the museum is open on Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. You'd think someone could update the site.

Lack of transparency continues to plague museum...

"curated anonymously" is a worrisome turn of phrase since the collection has been reported missing or "uncatalogued".

Also, for all the financial mess at the museum the treasurer should speak to issues other than future curators.

There should be transparency about the financing, staff, program, mission...everything.

The reopening should have been a good thing, but the way it's come about shows clearly that the museum is in for a repeat of its past mistakes.

Don't open the doors unless you're ready to open up about what's going on. The way the museum was run failed. With more of the same it will fail again.

Jersey City Museum opens doors to warm reception after being closed since 2010

June 30, 2012, 10:01 PM
By Stephanie Musat/ For The Jersey Journal

It was sort of like a homecoming for Jersey City resident Marco Consuela, who spent hours wandering around the Jersey City Museum before it closed in 2010.

Consuela, an artist himself, used the exhibits on display in the museum to help his ?creative juices flow.?

He was devastated when the museum closed due to financial difficulty.

?I couldn?t believe that in an art town like Jersey City, a museum could close. It felt like part of my city was being taken from me,? he said.

But it?s back - at least on Saturdays - and that alone, makes Consuela, along with the hundreds of people who came in for the re-opening collection, very happy.

The reopening exhibit, "Masters of the Collection," showcases watercolors by August Will and landscape pieces by Charles Linford that will include depictions of Hudson County in the 19th century.

?Our goal is to reorganize and rejuvenate August Will?s collection,? said museum treasurer, Mark Rodrick. ?This show is being curated anonymously, however we will announce future curators publicly.?

When the Montgomery street facility was purchased in February of this year by the Jersey City Medical Center it was slated to be used exclusively for hospital administrative offices.

After some negotiation and discussion it was decided that the second and third floors would be remodeled for offices and the first floor galleries would be kept for the museum to use again.

?The JCMC has been so generous with allowing us to lease the first floor and be part of the fabric of the Jersey City community once again,? said Rodrick. ?We want the overall community to be able to know how wonderful our collection is.?

As museum-goers wandered around, pointing at their favorite watercolors and discussing the historical images, it brought back a sense of community that was void after the museum closed, said Jersey City resident Tanya McFadden.

?We were absolutely missing something when the doors closed, and I am, for one, relieved that it?s back.?

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... y_museum_opens_doors.html

This was the JJ piece from March....

Now that Jersey City Medical Center has moved into upper floors of museum building, art may stage return

Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 3:00 AM
Updated: Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 12:13 PM

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... y_medical_center_mov.html



** ****

Hmmm an 11 million dollar renovation of the 38K square foot building and it was sold years later for $900K. Yeah tell me someone didn?t have insider information on that sweet deal. Was the ?for sale? information made public? Gee for $900K I would have purchased it. (and turned it into a JC old-timer?s bachelor pad.)

** from jc independent last year ***

If the deal goes through, it would mean a new twist in the recently sad tale of the museum, a 110-year-old institution that moved in 2001 from the Jersey City Free Public Library building on Jersey Avenue to 350 Montgomery Street, a building of its own. The space was donated, but the museum borrowed a reported $11 million to renovate. By the time the museum refinanced with Sovereign Bank, through the Economic Development Authority, in 2008, a debt of $2.7 million remained and that number has since grown faster than the museum could pay it down.

would an arts district be a better location for an arts museum? who wants to trek all the way over there to see 2nd rate stuff? I know tourists don't want to. You'd think people over here would get a clue!

What about the theater? That beautiful little theater, unique in Downtown, that the Museum just wasted. JCMC could build some giant community good will letting arts groups use it for performances and movies.