Art World
Corcoran Gallery Attendance Quadruples as Closure Looms
Photo: brownpau/Flickr.
Photo: brownpau/Flickr.
Benjamin Sutton
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The drama surrounding the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art and Design‘s imminent dissolution and takeover by the National Gallery of Art (NGA) and George Washington University (see “Judge Approves Dissolution of Corcoran Gallery“) continues to have some positive side effects. Since the museum waived its admission fee last month (see “Silver Lining in Corcoran Gallery Merger: Free Admission“) attendance has quadrupled, with locals and tourists flocking to the institution ahead of its closing later this month for renovations.
The Corcoran’s galleries will be closed beginning September 29 for renovations, and art expected to reopen within a year. When they do reopen, the museum will continue to be admission-free. Of the Corcoran’s 17,000-piece collection, about half will be acquired by the NGA, with the remainder being made available to other Washington, DC institutions at no charge.
“Certainly the intention from all sides is that the majority, everything if possible, will stay in Washington and be accessible to the public collections,” NGA deputy director Franklin Kelly tells local ABC affiliate WJLA.
When it reopens, the Corcoran’s exhibition spaces will be slightly smaller, WJLA reports, and will feature a “legacy gallery” showcasing pieces from its collection. The exact redistribution of works between the Corcoran, NGA, and other local museums remains unknown.
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