Art collector Andreas Bechtler wants to donate a more-than-1,000-piece collection of modern European art worth somewhere in the vicinity of $20 million to the city. In return, he, and the Arts and Science Council, want the city to pony up millions to help build a museum uptown to house the works. So far so good; this is the kind of thing that has been done all over the world for ages. Charlotte City Council, of course, has engaged in endless rounds of politics over the issue, posing as money-savers of all things. Now, there’s a task force, backstabbing, recriminations, you name it. Surely Bechtler should have realized our clueless local politicos would make a mess of his proposal. It may still happen, but don’t hold your breath. Thanks anyhow, Andreas.
This article appears in Aug 4-10, 2004.
