Jerry Saltz, writing shortly after the appointment of Jeffrey Deitch as Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles, finds that “L.A.’s gain is New York’s loss.”

“Many say an art dealer running a museum is a “conflict of interest.” But maybe the art world has lived an artificial or unintentional lie all of these years when it comes to conflicts of interest. Of course art world ethics are important. But museums are no purer than any other institution or business. Academics aren’t necessarily more high-minded than gallerists. (I give you Thomas Krens.) Deitch is one of very few outsiders who will be able to come in and immediately deal with — and hopefully fend off — rogue billionaire and MOCA-board chairman Eli Broad. Deitch also knows that curator Paul Schimmel, who has organized some of the greatest large-scale historical surveys of the last twenty years, has two or three great shows left in him. Deitch will be able to get Schimmel to make those shows. His acumen and ambition will provide a tremendous challenge to all other American museum directors, as well. Whatever happens, New York is going to miss the squirrelly circus master and semi-visionary known as Jeffrey Deitch.”

SOURCE: Jerry Saltz, “Why New York Will Miss Jeffrey Deitch,” Vulture.com, January 20, 2010. Continue reading at link below: