Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a museum founded by filmmaker George Lucas and businesswoman Mellody Hobson.[2] It will hold paintings, photography, illustration, cinematic art and digital art from Lucas's personal collection, and a Star Wars exhibit. It will be located in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California.[3]

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
An architectural rendering of the planned museum in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California.
Established2014
LocationExposition Park, Los Angeles, California
Coordinates34.016173°N 118.290775°W / 34.016173; -118.290775
TypeArt museum
Founder
Public transit accessExpo/Vermont station
Websitelucasmuseum.org

Collections

The museum will house works by artists such as Howard Chandler Christy, N.C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, and Norman Rockwell.[4] In 2018, the museum announced the acquisition of Rockwell’s painting “Shuffleton’s Barbershop” from the Berkshire Museum in Western Massachusetts.[5] In January 2020, the museum announced the acquisition of the Separate Cinema archive. Materials in the archive include posters, lobby cards, film stills, scripts, and other artifacts that track the history of African American movies from 1904 to the contemporary era. In total, the archive contains about 37,000 objects. Dorothy Dandridge, Paul Robeson, Duke Ellington, Sidney Poitier, and Josephine Baker are among the stars whose work is documented in the collection. A statement by museum CEO Sandra Jackson-Dumont said "The Separate Cinema Archive will not only provide film scholars with incredible opportunities for research, this treasure trove will also catalyze important conversations about the inspiring narratives of African American perspectives represented through film.” [6][7]

History

The first president of the museum was Don Bacigalupi, former president of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas; he stepped down from this role in early 2019.[8][9] In October 2019, Sandra Jackson-Dumont was announced as director and CEO.[10]

Proposed San Francisco Presidio site

To be known as the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum, it was originally planned for San Francisco, on Crissy Field. This version of the museum would have held Lucas's art collection, which is estimated to be worth approximately $1 billion.[11] After four years of negotiation with The Presidio Trust over the land in San Francisco, Lucas announced instead that Chicago would host the museum, due in part to interest from the city's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, and the promise of land on the shore of Lake Michigan.[12][13][14] The museum would lease the land from the Chicago Park District for $1 a year.[15] Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti also made a bid to host the project, offering Lucas land in Exposition Park near the University of Southern California.[2] Youngstown Mayor John McNally has also proposed to Lucas to locate the museum in Youngstown, Ohio offering donated land in the city's downtown.[16][17]

Proposed Chicago site

Previous plan for the museum in Chicago

The proposed site on a parking lot near Soldier Field, Burnham Harbor and the Museum Campus was chosen by a Chicago city commission.[18] After the formal announcement of the museum's location on Chicago's lake shore and the later unveiling of its architecture, the project faced opposition again. In an editorial, the Chicago Tribune condemned the size of the structure, referring to it as "a monument to its patron rather than a modest addition to a democratic public space". The Chicago plan called for a museum building roughly four times the size of the one planned for San Francisco, though that size was later scaled back.[19][20] The Tribune also expressed worries about the cost of maintenance, to be absorbed by taxpayers, and the damage to the preservation of the lake front.

Friends of the Parks, a Chicago-area preservation organization, opposed the plan, citing a ban on development on the land set aside for Lucas. It filed a federal suit to block the development, arguing that granting the museum a 99-year lease "effectively surrenders control" of prime lakefront property to a museum that is "not for the benefit of the public" but would "promote private and/or commercial interests".[21] In March 2015, U.S. District Judge John Darrah ruled the land intended for the museum is held in public trust. Thus, the Illinois General Assembly is the only body with the power to allow construction to proceed, under certain limitations.[22] The state subsequently approved a law designed to enable such projects,[23] and the Chicago City Council approved zoning.[24] while the Chicago Park District approved a long-term lease and litigation on ensued.[25][26][27]

MAD architects, headed by Ma Yansong, was responsible for designing a building for the Chicago site, while VOA Associates was designated to oversee construction. Studio Gang Architects, already involved in the rehabilitation of Northerly Island, was selected to design the landscape.[28][29] The design was met with some criticism upon release. Blair Kamin of the Chicago Tribune called the structure "needlessly massive" and called for a "dose of restraint" to preserve the lakefront.[30] In Crain's Chicago Business, Greg Hinz derided it as "[yelling] and [carrying] on, in its own way defacing the city's lakefront as much as any teenager with a can of spray paint...".[31] Revised plans were released in September 2015, which scaled back on the size of the project but otherwise kept the basic design.[20]

Criticism also has been leveled against Friends of the Parks for its opposition.[32] In May 2016, Bill Kurtis wrote an op-ed in support of the Lucas Museum which appeared in the Chicago Tribune.[33]

On May 3, 2016, a statement released by Mellody Hobson, wife of George Lucas, stated that the couple was seeking other cities to host the museum after a protracted confrontation with Friends of the Parks.[34] On June 24, 2016, Lucas announced that the museum would not be located in Chicago.[35][36]

Los Angeles site

In June 2016, museum officials announced that they were considering sites in Los Angeles and San Francisco.[37] George Lucas announced on January 10, 2017, the museum he wishes to construct will be built and located in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, California, citing the proximity of University of Southern California, his alma mater, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Banc of California Stadium, other museums, and local schools in the South Los Angeles region.[38]

The museum that will be constructed was designed by Chinese architecture firm MAD Architects (MAD Studio) and architect of record Stantec.[39] The $1 billion project will have 300,000 square feet of floor space. It will be five levels, 115 ft. high and have a library, offices and two theaters. The museum is redeveloping the area surrounding the museum in Exposition Park. Plans call for redesigning the landscape 11 acres of park space with museum terraces.[40] In July 2020, Pilar Tompkins Rivas was named the chief curator and deputy director of curatorial and collections.[41]

Construction

Construction prep began in January 2018. Hathaway Dinwiddie is the general contractor.[42][43] The site parking lots were cleared and excavation work on the underground parking has begun. The project is expected to complete in late 2022.[40] The groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 14, 2018.[44][45]

References

  1. "Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Officially Breaks Ground". Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. March 14, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  2. Matthews, David (September 29, 2015). "Lucas Museum Called 'Huge Plus for City,' 'Upside-down Snow Cone' at Forum". DNA Info. Archived from the original on February 23, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  3. Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (2015). "Lucas Museum of Narrative Art". Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  4. Walker, Alissa (June 26, 2014). "17 Works of Art That Will Hang In George Lucas's New Museum". Gawker Media (Gizmodo). Archived from the original on March 1, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  5. Finkel, Jori (April 11, 2018). "Lucas Museum Comes Forward as Buyer of Rockwell Painting". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  6. "With One Major Acquisition, George Lucas's New Museum Just Became a Key Destination for African American Film History". artnet News. January 15, 2020. Archived from the original on April 27, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  7. "Lucas Museum Acquires African American Film History Archive". lucasmuseum.org. Archived from the original on April 27, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  8. "Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Announces President". architectmagazine.com. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  9. "The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art". lucasmuseum.org. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  10. "L.A.'s Lucas Museum Finds CEO". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  11. Bailey, Holly (June 14, 2013). "George Lucas pitches a San Francisco art museum". Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013.
  12. Harris, Melissa (April 10, 2014). "Chicago to Vie for George Lucas' Museum". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  13. Erdman, Shelby Lin (June 25, 2014). "Chicago Beats Out San Francisco for New George Lucas Museum" Archived August 16, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, CNN. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  14. Sneed, Michael (June 25, 2014). "Sneed Scoop: Chicago Lands George Lucas Museum". Chicago Sun-Time. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  15. Geiger, Kim (November 12, 2014). "Parks Group to Sue over Lakefront Site for Lucas Museum" Archived May 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  16. "Youngstown mayor invites George Lucas to build museum downtown". May 20, 2016. Archived from the original on May 21, 2016.
  17. "City Officials Have Star (Wars) in Their Eyes". Archived from the original on May 22, 2016.
  18. "George Lucas didn't choose this controversial museum site; we did".
  19. Editorial Board (November 7, 2014). "Keep George Lucas' museum off Chicago's lakefront". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  20. O'Connell, Patrick M. (September 10, 2015). "Scaled-back Lucas museum plans may put lawsuit in jeopardy". chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2015.
  21. "Rahm plan: Demolish McCormick Place East, put Lucas Museum there". Archived from the original on May 10, 2016.
  22. Sisson, Patrick (March 13, 2015). "Will Judge's Ruling Send Lucas Museum to a Site Far, Far Away? - Museum Battles - Curbed Chicago". Curbed. Vox Media (Curbed). Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  23. "Lawmakers Approve Bill on Obama Library, Lucas Museum". NBC Chicago. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015.
  24. Smith, Aaron (October 30, 2015). "'Star Wars' creator George Lucas wins approval for Chicago art museum". CNNMoney. Archived from the original on November 6, 2015.
  25. Manson, Patricia (February 4, 2016). "Lucas Museum put on hold again". Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Archived from the original on February 11, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  26. "How public? Lucas case may hinge on interpretation of legal landmark". Chicago Tribune. November 9, 2015. Archived from the original on November 10, 2015.
  27. O'Connell, Patrick M. (February 4, 2016). "Judge deals setback to Lucas Museum, denies motion to dismiss lawsuit". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  28. Neamt, Ioana (July 30, 2014). "Studio Gang And MAD Architects To Design George Lucas' Museum Of Narrative Art". Commercial Property Executive. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  29. Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. "Museum Design". Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  30. Kamin, Blair (November 3, 2014). "Lucas Museum design an architectural mountain on city's lakefront". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  31. Hinz, Greg (November 3, 2014). "Lucas Museum rolls out a design R2-D2 would pan". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  32. Harris, Melissa (March 23, 2015). "In Lucas Museum fight, preservationists are protecting parking lots". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  33. Chicago Tribune (May 11, 2016). "Bill Kurtis op-ed: Lucas Museum would further Chicago's lakefront mission". chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016.
  34. "Lucas Museum's Chicago Plan Now Appears Dead". CBS Chicago. Archived from the original on May 4, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  35. O'Connell, Patrick M.; Ruthhart, Bill (June 24, 2016). "Lucas Museum Drops Plan to Build in Chicago" Archived June 24, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  36. Bentle, Kyle; Berlin, Jonathon; Brinson, Jemal R. (June 15, 2016; updated June 24, 2016). "The Saga of the Lucas Museum" Archived June 20, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  37. Ng, David (June 24, 2016). "George Lucas abandons Chicago, will build new museum in California". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 20, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  38. "Los Angeles will be home to George Lucas' $1-billion museum". Archived from the original on January 17, 2017 via LA Times.
  39. planning.lacity.org http://planning.lacity.org/PdisCaseInfo/Home/GetDocument/YTAzMWRiYzAtZWVkZC00MmY4LWFhZjQtMTRiNzJlNjM4MmM30. Retrieved January 17, 2019. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  41. Durón, Maximilíano; Durón, Maximilíano (July 9, 2020). "Top L.A. Curators Pilar Tompkins-Rivas, Amanda Hunt Head to Hotly Anticipated Lucas Museum". ARTnews.com. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  42. "Lucas Museum Construction Putting Our L.A. Residents to Work". Los Angeles Sentinel. September 16, 2019. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  43. http://www.lucasmuseumconstruction.org/
  44. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  45. Morning Links: Looted Coffin Edition (February 18, 2019). ArtNews http://www.artnews.com/2019/02/18/morning-links-looted-coffin-edition/. Retrieved March 15, 2019. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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