Met’s “Boyish” New Director

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The retirement of Phillipe de Montebello, former director and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, led to the dark horse appointment of Thomas Campbell, right, whom the Economist in a recent interview describes accurately enough as “boyish” at least compared to the patrician Montebello.

In the interview, he seems like a charming and down-to-earth person, and I like that he has a strong background in art history and passion for the arts. The movement to make art more accessible to everyone often means pandering to popular tastes and dumming things down rather than explaining how something came about and why it is remarkable and beautiful. So bravo on that front.

Mr. Campbell apparently does have some some forward-thinking plans, despite the mothballs clinging to him from his forays in the archives. He plans to archive the whole collection of the Met online. Bravo again, and I know just how I would like to see it done.

The collection ought to be archived in the manner of the Rijksmuseum, whose website is a master of its type. The history and details provided about the painting are well-presented, it’s easy to navigate, and the connections it draws between paintings is an art history education in itself. There are my 2 cents, Mr. Campbell.

I hope Mr. Campbell does do well, if only because at a mere 46 years of age, he could have a tenureship as long as Montebello’s as head of the museum.

Internet Taste Gurus

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From magazines to the internet, everywhere has been chock-a-block full of advice on the top 10 of everything, holidays wishlists, and best of 2008 items. Everyone seems to have an opinion on what you should read, see, or listen to. But whose taste do you trust?

There are the standard cultural institutions, of course. The New York Times Book Review, for example, is a list of books in 2008 that might not be exactly to my interest, but is sure to be interesting and well-written. But they get the easy ones, so to speak, the obvious ones of good sales and pedigrees. Rarely do I chance upon a great novel off the beaten track of New York Times highlights; I need guidance. Guidance appears in abundance but, honestly, it rarely proves helpful.

What I want are the sort of recommendations my friends give me. I have a friend with great music suggestions, and another with interesting views on the literary classics. I don’t understand why it proves so much harder to find those types of recommendations on the internet, which swarms with people and opinions. People broadcast their voice on everything, but I can’t seem to find a voice who speaks to mine quite as clearly as an old friend.

The question is: how do I find people with tastes I respect and admire on the internet? Chance and blog searches seem inefficient methods. I assume people like the ones I rely on in person are out there. But where are you people?

Adorable Side of Street Art

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Street art is big, it’s all over, from satirical political spraypaint of Obama and Andre the Giant to installations of statues and bits of furniture in unlikely places. Some street art is small. It’s not often you come across the adorable, miniature side of street art, and it makes this project from Little People even more delightful. These Lilliputians would likely get stepped on if left on the streets of London for too long anyway, but I’d love to come across them in New York.

The good people at Little People are doing a charming job by minimizing the scale of street art and infusing their scenes with humor. The photos above are titled “Crappy Christmas.”