Unfettered Letters

Nelson-Atkins expansion

My wife, three young children and I live in Rockhill, across a small street from the Rockhill Tennis Club. Daily, we play outside watching people come and go carrying rackets or ushering children dressed for the pool. The club fits in the neighborhood, as it has for 50 years.

The Nelson plans to reach over the 40-foot retaining wall at the Bloch Building and across four lanes of traffic on Rockhill Road into our single-family residential neighborhood to convert the home William Rockhill Nelson built for his daughter into private office space. Adding a sculpture garden to comply with existing codes would only draw more car and foot traffic into the neighborhood. This type of encroachment does not fit in a residential neighborhood.

The Nelson has represented that it will not renew the club’s lease under any circumstance and will leave the home vacant if necessary. It seems spiteful, but it is their right. They own the property and cannot be told what they must do with it, but this ordinance is needed to place limits on what they can do.

William Rockhill Nelson built this family neighborhood. His legacy should not be chipping away at it.

Michael Lawhead
Kansas City

The Dolphin makes a splash

The First Friday in June will be a significant evening in the Crossroads Arts District. It will be the last First Friday that we will share with our neighbors, the Dolphin Gallery.

The Dolphin has been one of the arts anchors in this neighborhood since the area around 20th and Baltimore was known as Leedyville. This summer Dolphin owner John O’Brien and his gang are packing up and heading down to the West Bottoms, where they hope to spur a resurgence of that part of town, once a mecca for young artists and their guerrilla galleries. If any group can pull this off, it’s the Dolphin gang.

Many people contributed in many ways to this phenomenon that has become the Crossroads Arts District, but no one can deny the impact the Dolphin has had on this once run-down, now thriving neighborhood.

I have no doubt that they will have similar success in the West Bottoms. But we’ll certainly miss them, especially on First Fridays.

Mo Dickens
Gallery assistant, Belger Arts Center
Kansas City

Paintings must be preserved

In reading about the unfortunately outdated, inadequate facilities of the State Historical Society of Missouri (5/18, A-1, “Caring for treasures a trying task; State Historical Society, with works by Bingham and Benton, looks to leave behind cramped, outdated conditions”), I was sorry to learn of the real or potential damage to their hundreds of thousands of historical documents and manuscripts, as well as their invaluable paintings of George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton.

I suggest that at least further damage to the paintings can be avoided by putting them on loan to museums that have the necessary humidity controls. This could be done until the Society has its new building, which could conceivably take several years.

C.W. Mahley
Fairway

Harriman-Jewell concert a gem

Sunday was one of the nicest Mother’s Days. My grandson treated me to a concert by Juan Diego Florez, an internationally known tenor. The music was just beautiful.

What a wonderful opportunity to see such world-class entertainment right here in Kansas City.

Special thanks to Dr. Harriman and the Harriman-Jewell series for bringing this caliber of talent to our area.

Mary Schloegel
Raytown

Thank you, Gill Studios

The James A. Fussell article about the origin of the bumper sticker (4/19, FYI, “Honk for KC area inventor; Lenexa firm originated the mobile messages about 60 years ago”) is a finely written and well-deserved tribute to Gill Studios Inc. Besides being a successful and original industry, the bumper sticker concept is, indeed, “an American form of communication.”

However, local readers may not be aware that, under the leadership of company chairman Mark Gilman (the founder’s son-in-law), Gill Studios has given back to this community in so many ways, especially in its support of the arts. From its contributions to high schools through professional theater grants, free publicity and gifts, Gill Studios has quietly but effectively encouraged and enhanced the continuing growth of the performing arts in Kansas City.

So, here’s a suggestion for a new bumper sticker: “Go Gill for KC”.

Frank Robertson
Historian, The Barn Players
Mission

Park University theater

I read with interest the letter from Jerry Ward (3/16) regarding music performances at Park University. The concert with the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City on March 30 sounds great. I hope to be there.
At the end of February I was lucky enough to attend the theater at Park with the student performance of “The Shape of Things.” It was wonderful, and the hard work of the students is to be admired. It truly was a very special night for me.
The arts programs at Park University are something that the people of the Kansas City area should be aware of, be proud of and support wholeheartedly. The next performances are March 27-30 when Park presents “9 Parts of Desire” in conjunction with the Unicorn Theatre. Hope to see you there!
Stella Hartington
Overland Park

Lester Goldman show

Joyous! Jubilant! Bouyant! Alive! These are words that come to mind when I try to describe seeing an entire room filled with the artwork of the late Lester Goldman. Luckily, I took my daughter with me so that I had someone with whom to share the experience. There was nothing dark or angry or ugly in any of it. My heartfelt thanks to Mrs. Goldman and her children for sharing this prolific output with us. From my observations this was a happy, happy man.

Kerry Cain
Kansas City

Editor’s note: The exhibition at 1619 Walnut has been extended through February. For appointments or information, call Kathrin Goldman, 816-444-9074.

Knievel an artist, too

Regarding article “Fearless daredevil dies” (12/1, Sports Daily): Besides Evel Knievel being a daredevil, we found that he had a softer side, as he was also an artist. I have included a photo of a painted plate titled “Morning in the Marshland Featuring the Snowy Egret” by Evel Knievel (1984). We met Evel several times. In 1986, he gave us this plate as a gift.

Wayne and Carolyn Davidson
Lee’s Summit

Great new art museum

Congratulations to the new Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at the Johnson County Community College campus. The Kansas City metro area has added a considerable new jewel to our growing cultural crown.
Director Bruce Hartman appears ready to present the kind of fresh, thought-provoking work that will add a sharp edge to the KC scene.
It is ironic, however, that in the current exhibition, “American Soil” (reviewed in The Star last Sunday), the majority of the excellent works take a harsh look at the kind of sprawling, unsustainable mentality that has helped create both the JCCC campus and much of Johnson County itself.
Alexi Kontras
Kansas City

Nelson employees shine

So many times positive things are taken for granted and nothing is said. Last week my mother and I visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the new Bloch Building. The buildings were great, but the greatest asset was found in the employees we encountered.
We visited with several employees asking for directions, where we could eat, bathrooms, etc. All of them were courteous, friendly and very helpful.
We had lunch in the Rozzelle Court, and it was delicious. Again we encountered friendly employees.
The Nelson should be very proud of their volunteers and employees!
Joan Flamm
Lee’s Summit

More coverage for quilts

I have never written to The Star, but I would like to give my congratulations to letter writer Ruth Gascoigne (10/30, “Quilt show overlooked”).

Quilters and all needle artists have been overlooked for years.

The quilts displayed at the Heart of America Quilt Show are pieces of art, not just a functional gathering of small pieces of material.

This show raises money for the Kansas City Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund, yet instead of a story about this show, the newspaper chooses to display pictures of movie stars who won’t be around this time next year. The quilts will be around for generations!

Marilyn Hail
Leawood

The all-powerful grout

Wednesday’s paper was full of startling revelations, but perhaps the most amazing was the surprise about the true nature of grout.

On Page One, I found the opening paragraphs of a story which revealed that Mosul Dam in Iraq has been held together for decades — as it bottled up some 3 trillion gallons of water and preserved as many as 500,000 Iraqis from death by drowning — by more than 50,000 tons of grout (10/30, A-1, “Mosul Dam crumbling, U.S. warns of calamity”).

On Page 2, I discovered a new medium for presidential sculptures: grout (“The Buzz”).

Is there no end to the wondrous things one can do with this mighty substance?

I have been told that duct tape was like “The Force,” since it has a dark side and a light side and it binds the universe together. But after reading Wednesday’s paper, I have become convinced that the true cosmic power that binds the universe together must actually be grout.

Jan S. Gephardt
Westwood

New art on 119th

As a longtime resident of Overland Park, I was pleased when I saw the landscaping put in at the intersection of 119th and Metcalf. I am all for beautifying our city, and that particular area could sure use a shot of color. I thought the flowers and shrubs planted there filled that need very nicely.

Imagine my shock when one day I drove by and saw they were installing a bright blue stack of potato chips in the middle of the flowers (10/26, Mike Hendricks column, “Getting the blues is a step up”).

I am very confused by this so-called artwork. Is it supposed to match the bright blue layer-cake fountain at 123rd and Antioch?

Wouldn’t a stone statue and fountain reminiscent of the Plaza have been lovely?

I can’t wait to watch the paint erode and peel from the potato chips.

Karen Wall
Overland Park

The new artwork at 119th and Metcalf is awesome! The unique blue colors and shapes really take the edge off while navigating this busy intersection. This is a great effort on the part of Overland Park, even for the expense — reportedly $100,000. Too bad it isn’t 5 or 10 feet higher. It would be even more prominent, perhaps even startling.

Randy Huber
Leawood

Quilt show overlooked

Members of the Quilt Guild of Greater Kansas City presented the Heart of America Quilt Show at Crown Center recently. Every year, we do this to raise money for the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund. Other than small calendar listings, the only publicity The Star gave the show was a black and white picture and short mention in the back of the Local section the day before the show closed (10/13).

Ours is a local event, supporting the community. Last week, the front page of the FYI section had 10 color pictures of movies. How can we get that coverage? Maybe if we were rock stars, we could qualify for your coverage.

Crown Center’s great staff hangs the show and keeps our quilts safe. Guild members create quilts of quality and beauty and then work the show, sharing stories with the public, helping them to recognize our love for, as well as the value of, each quilt displayed.

The show is free.

Please promote the work of quilters who keep a tradition alive for the next generation.

Ruth Gascoigne
Overland Park

Carter Art Center overlooked

Congratulations to Johnson County Community College on the opening of its Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art (10/14, A+E). Curiously, though, the Star story on community college art museums mentions other museums at community colleges in New York and Sedalia, Mo., but ignored the Carter Art Center on the Penn Valley campus of the Metropolitan Community College in midtown Kansas City.

The Carter Art Center opened in 2003 and is currently exhibiting “Unsocial — The Bullying Series.” (It closes at 6 p.m. today.)

Steven Lewis
Instructor, Metropolitan Community College
Kansas City

Another WaterFire

WaterFire: The very word stirs the imagination and suggests a one-of-a-kind experience for the senses.

The work of internationally recognized artist Barnaby Evans, WaterFire is a unique, free public art installation that uses the powerful combination of water, fire and music to build communities and bring people together. As the tens of thousands of Kansas Citians and visitors who witnessed WaterFire on Sept. 8 know, it delivers this and more.

On Saturday, WaterFire returns for the final time this year.

One has only to look at the diverse list of sponsors and supporters to understand the mission of WaterFire. Led by the Convention and Visitors Association of Greater Kansas City, what you’ll find is a group of businesses, unions, foundations, and individuals that seemingly have little in common but who have come together to give an incredible gift to all of us.

The hope is that with additional support, WaterFire Kansas City will become an annual event and grow in size and scope as Brush Creek is further revitalized.

Karen Holland
Chairwoman, Municipal Art Commission
Kansas City

Volker Fountain

I would like to thank Mary Shelden for bringing the recently conserved and unique Volker Fountain by Carl Milles to the attention of the public in her recent comment.

She is correct in noting that its location is not the most desirable. It was originally located in Volker Park, but with the redesign of Brush Creek, it was moved streetside to the corner of Oak and Volker Boulevard, where fast-moving vehicles cannot fully appreciate its beauty.

The location is not conducive to foot traffic and the landmark may be in harm’s way with the traffic and ensuing pollution.

To move it might be cost prohibitive, but we need to point out that future sculptures and fountains in the city need to be carefully placed for many reasons.

Joanie Shields
Coordinator, Adopt-A-Monument
Prairie Village

Editor’s note: Adopt-A-Monument has been raising money and caring for sculptures in the area for 11 years. It is affiliated with the City of Fountains Foundation (kcfountains.org). It also provides training to churches, businesses, homeowners associations and cities on how to care for their outdoor art. For more information, contact Shields at kcjoanie@sbcglobal.net.

Princess Grace Award

I enjoyed Robert Trussell’s article about Toccarra Cash, who recently won the Princess Grace Award (9/30, A+E, “UMKC student wins $10,000 award; Judges say ‘talent, leadership and bravery’ have guided Toccarra Cash”).

Your readers may be interested to know that between 1997 and 2002, three students at the Kansas City Art Institute also received this prestigious award: Ben Radatz, who graduated in 1998 with a bachelor’s of fine arts degree in photo/video; Kristie Drew, who graduated in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in video; and Mandy Durham, who graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in new media, won the award in 1997, 1998 and 2002, respectively.

All studied at the institute with Patrick Clancy, chairman of the college’s photo/new media (now photo/digital filmmaking) department.

Anne Canfield
Vice president for communications, Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City

Art fair obstacles

Perhaps next year the Plaza Art Fair should be called “The Plaza Art Fair Obstacle Course.” If I wasn’t tripping over someone’s dog, I was tripping over a small child or a baby stroller. Large dogs and large (double-wide) strollers were everywhere.

The “powers that be” should ask themselves whether the art fair is really a place for dogs. There are several parks close by if people want to walk their dogs.

Also, it wouldn’t hurt if parents were encouraged to leave babies and toddlers at home. I saw an infant who appeared to be only a few days old. A lot of the little ones seemed tired and cranky, and many were crying. Is it possible that all those people do not have baby sitters?

Babies and toddlers are not yet able to appreciate art, so why bring them to that sort of an event? Also, what better opportunity is there for some lunatic to snatch a child than in a huge crowd? I get nervous just thinking about it.

The City Market finally banned dogs from the market. Perhaps the folks in charge of the Plaza Art Fair will give some thought to imposing the same ban for next year.

Chris McCormick
Kansas City

On the map for arts

I am so glad The Star recognizes the important work that David Hughes and Charlotte Street Foundation are doing for the life of this community (9/10 editorial, “Ten years of nurturing the arts”).

What Hughes and his foundation have accomplished in 10 years is truly remarkable and visionary. He is putting Kansas City on the national map as a place artists can live and work and we are the beneficiaries of their creativity.

This is as important — more so, in my opinion — as all the buildings, old and new, coming to life in the urban core. It breathes life and beauty into the bricks and mortar. I admire his tenacity and relentless pursuit of what he is doing.

David Oliver
Kansas City

WaterFire appreciated

What a lukewarm write-up you gave on Sunday to a hot night Saturday in Kansas City (9/9, Local, “Traveling fire show lights the night on Brush Creek”).

The spectacular WaterFire Kansas City was well attended and appreciated.

You found a few attendees who described it as “nice” or even boring, which means to me you did not probe adequately. We happened upon numerous friends that night who were aglow with excitement over the beauty, the crowds, the selection of exquisite new music, and the diverse performances throughout the evening.

From your story, one would think Kansas Citians find fire breathers and fire dancers boring. The whoops and applause along the riverbanks contradicted that.

We heard comments such as, “What an exciting surprise when we finished dinner on the Plaza,” “Kansas City is so cutting edge,” “How very European,” “Hooray for the arts in KC,” and, “It’s like the Renaissance Festival without all the cleavage and souvenirs.”

Many of us greatly appreciated this night of visual and auditory entertainment, without even an admission fee.

Thank you to those who planned such a wonderful new event. We look forward to the next WaterFire, or other innovative events.

Ada Koch
Prairie Village

WaterFire a delight

WaterFire was presented to the people of the Kansas City area on a beautiful evening, in a beautiful setting. The bonfires on the creek gave some very interesting illusions (9/9, Local, “Traveling fire show lights the night on Brush Creek; WaterFire, which originated in Rhode Island, uses sights and sounds to entertain”).

The musical background and the fire-performers entertaining the crowds were a nice accompaniment. It was a beautiful visual experience!

But what really impressed me was the total artistic canvas of the Brush Creek river walk. It was filled with people enjoying the evening’s events. This is a facility that is way underused.

There were many families with children in hand and in strollers. My 3-year-old grandson got very excited when the fires were lit.

The weather was something artist and WaterFire creator Barnaby Evans had to have been delighted with. It added to his artistic presentation.

If you didn’t make it to the Plaza for this event, you are lucky that it will be presented again Oct. 13. What better way to spend a Saturday evening in beautiful Kansas City?

To those who presented this artistic experience, artists and volunteers, thank you.

Larry Bilotta
Kansas City

Support local artists

I was pleased to learn that a local artist is making a glass sculpture for the Sprint Center (9/6, FYI). The committee that selects public art seems to be overly impressed by artists who work at a distance from Kansas City. I believe that we have local artists who produce works that are equal to or better than the big-name artists from the East Coast. The public funds for art should, in my opinion, support more local and regional artists.

John L. Coakley Jr.
Kansas City

WaterFire

My husband and I attended WaterFire in Providence, R.I, four years ago. At that time, we commented that Brush Creek would be a perfect venue for it in Kansas City.

We were delighted to be able to attend WaterFire on the Plaza on Saturday night. It proved to be the same magical and uniquely visceral experience we’d had in Providence. Actually it was more intimate in the Plaza setting, as the firebreathers and jugglers were much closer. It was a wonderful way to highlight a lovely part of our city.

And to those who missed it, I encourage you to attend the next show on Oct. 13. It is an event that truly has to be experienced to be understood.

Linda Porter Mahoney
Kansas City

Arts funding

Local arts organizations are very fortunate to have an important new source of support in the ArtsKC Fund (9/2, A+E, “New fund boosts budgets of arts groups”).

Kansas City Repertory Theatre, for example, relies on numerous sources in addition to ticket revenue, and the level of support that the fund has provided us for the current season exceeds all but about a dozen of the other grants, gifts and contributions that we received in the past year.

We appreciate the efforts of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City in launching this exciting new venture to sustain a thriving local arts community.

William P. Prenevost
Managing director, Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Kansas City

Opera was outstanding

The Civic Opera’s world premiere of “Everlasting Universe” Friday was really a highlight of this season’s theatrical productions. The music by John Mueter was beautiful and well-composed. The voices were spectacular. I was trying to pinpoint one of the cast, but all were outstanding. The Civic Opera really scored a coup with this production.

Bruce Rogers
Kansas City

Schlagle band story

Malcolm Garcia’s excellent article (8/18, A-1, “Preparation for life’s performances”) should be required reading for those who favor cutting music and art in public schools. The students in the Schlagle High School marching band will be among the leaders of tomorrow, thanks to the guidance of their dedicated director, Reginald May.

Looking back on my own life, I would not be where I am today (university distinguished professor of psychology at Kansas State University) if I hadn’t been in marching band while in high school 40 years ago. Everything in my life since has been guided by the lessons I learned as a band member: hard work, cooperation, dedication and high standards.

James Shanteau
Manhattan, Kan.

Thank you for the wonderful article on the Schlagle High School marching band in Saturday’s Star. Kudos to Mr. May, his assistants, the students, parents and school administrators for their continuing support of this program.

The article should be required reading for school administrator everywhere, too many of whom consider a music curriculum and performance ensembles as unessential, especially at budget crunch time.

This article and the track record of Mr. May and his band score huge points for just the opposite approach. The arts are essential to a meaningful life and a complete and well-rounded education.

Dale Fisk
Pleasant Hill

I was so pleased that Malcolm Garcia chose to highlight the success and accomplishments of the Schlagle High School marching band. I found his previous articles about Schlagle High students too stereotypical: a young wannabe rapper with a baby on the way, and boys who had seen violence and death.

This whole time the Schlagle band has been there, too, with young men and women who are on a track to success, led by a man who cares and pushes them to be all they can be.

Mr. Garcia is so close to showing what wonderful things go on at Schlagle High, yet he still focuses on the stereotypes that accompany an urban school.

Out of all the students Garcia quoted, why didn’t he pick one of the 10 band members who already have college scholarships through the Kauffman Foundation instead of a girl who makes hamburgers?

Dorothy Lambert
Lenexa

Kemper museum

The more one views the Bloch addition at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the more one appreciates the visual appeal that the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art conveys.

The architect, Gunnar Birkerts, created a smaller edifice that is exemplary of contemporary architecture. Juxtaposed next to the Bloch’s bumbling blocks exterior appearance, the Kemper projects a sense of ascension and provides one a far more exhilarating structure to view.

Kansas Citians are fortunate to have such a structure to exhibit art and a free admission policy that encourages all to attend.

Bruno Gavriloaia
Kansas City

Pioneer Mother Memorial

With regard to the editorial “Neglect surrounds an icon of KC’s frontier past” (7/22): As my husband and I were returning to our car after our visit to the Liberty Memorial and World War I museum, we noticed something atop the hill opposite the parking lot. We climbed the hill and came upon the Pioneer Mother Memorial.

It’s a wonderful sculpture, but the weeds in the sidewalks, the untrimmed shrubbery and discarded bottles distracted from it.

I hope Sunday’s editorial will spur the city to action and clean up the area. Visitors to our city can enjoy the memorial and the city view.

K. Gaston
Kansas City

Inspiring talk about the arts

A thought-provoking and insightful leader, Dana Gioia, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, spoke eloquently last Wednesday at the Kansas City Art Institute (7/19, Diane Stafford column, Business, "Good readers make good workers").

His genuine dedication to the arts, his appealing lecture, poetry and style gave me a refreshing lift on a sizzling morning in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Art Institute, professors Phyllis Moore and Ann Volin and the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City are to be commended for bringing Gioia to our fine city.

Susan Goldenberg
Kansas City

Bloch Building disappoints

This past weekend, I finally had the opportunity to visit the recently opened Bloch Building at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Despite my misgivings about the exterior of the building (namely that it looks too much like a cheap prefabricated building one would normally expect to see at an airport or industrial park), I made a concerted effort to withhold final judgment until I had seen the interior.

The first thing I noticed upon entering was the vast amount of empty, wasted space one had to traverse before actually encountering any artwork. Surely this amount of square footage, no doubt constructed at considerable cost, could have been used more efficiently.

It became readily apparent that the architect, Steven Holl, is not an adherent of the "form follows function" hypothesis in architectural design.

Unfortunately, Mr. Holl has given Kansas City a monument that is more a testament to architecture than to the visual art it houses.

Like Frank Lloyd Wright in designing the Guggenheim Museum, Holl's structure is all about the aggrandizement of architecture rather than facilitating the display of works of art.

William S. Eickhorst
Professor of art, retired
Kansas City

Hospital artwork removed

People are frequently disturbed by artwork that is not purely decorative. The first impulse is to call for its removal. Yet the removal of art does not resolve a conflict. Worse, yielding to a heckler's veto only deepens the disagreement. That is what happened at Truman Medical Center (6/30, FYI, "Three wombs with no views; Truman Medical Center removes banners from exhibit after hospital workers say they're exploitative"), where posters abstractly noting the position of the womb in three females of different ages were taken down because some staff members were "offended."

In its hasty response to the complaints, which were very likely based on a misunderstanding of the message of the work, the medical center trampled not only the free-expression rights of the artist and curator, but also the rights of all staff members and patients who liked the work and didn't complain about it.

A much better idea would have been to organize a meeting between the staff and the artist to discuss the ideas behind the work. Only then could true and meaningful compromise be reached.

Svetlana Mintcheva
Director, arts program
National Coalition Against Censorship
New York

Don’t believe Nelson praise

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art promos keep telling us the Bloch Building interior is exquisite, but you have to wonder if folks who approved the exterior design know that when they see it.

They replaced and disfigured architecture that was beautiful, elegant, tasteful and proportioned with stuff that is makeshift, tasteless, disproportional and ugly.

If we keep it up, I’m always saying, there will come a time when nobody can remember what beauty looked like, and soon after there will be no one who can even imagine it.

Judging from comments actually praising the obtrusive clutter of the Bloch building add-on, that prophecy is coming true, and that time is already here.

Sam Gill
Kansas City

Thanks to Blochs

While there have been many letters about the new Bloch addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art — both pro and con — I have not seen any that thank the Bloch family for their incredible generosity to our community.

Their contributions have enriched our lives and enhanced the reputation of Kansas City all over the world. The rave reviews the building has received are further evidence of the positive impact this will have on Kansas City for years to come.

Many of us already enjoy the wonderful Bloch Fountain outside Union Station and the beautiful world headquarters of H&R Block, and will now have an opportunity to see their unparalleled collection of Impressionist paintings.

Their generosity knows no bounds, and our thanks should not either.

Judy Sherry
Kansas City

Give Nelson a chance

My husband and two of our daughters spent Father’s Day at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. I am not sure what I expected of the new Bloch Building, but we were all pleasantly surprised that the addition, while quite a contrast in architectural style, complemented the museum by being tucked into a hillside with berms and trees surrounding it.
The view of the sculpture garden from the small gift shop located at the exit of the two exhibits was breathtaking.
My only disappointment in the changes at the museum was the removal of the wonderful statues in Kirkwood Hall.
I encourage citizens to visit the museum and the two wonderful exhibits now on display before forming an opinion on the latest treasure of Kansas City.
Julie Green-Temm
Independence

Nelson addition

Obviously there are those of us who appreciate contemporary architecture and those who do not. There are those who would prefer to live in, work in and visit buildings which were built a century or two past, or look that way.

Fortunately, we have excellent examples of both in Kansas City, and now they share a location at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

I am glad that most visitors are open enough to give something new a chance to influence and inform them in a meaningful way, and that there will be some in the community who might not have visited the museum in the past, who will now come into the Bloch Building because it is a new experience for everyone.

The others could perhaps even allow that there are sincere, educated opinions besides one’s own without denigrating them.

I am pleased to celebrate the new Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Karen Hartzler
Grandview

Bloch Building

Please, all of you who find fault with the exterior of the new addition to the Nelson: Please, please go inside!

It comes together. It really is amazing.

We should all be thanking the many who made such a wonderful museum come alive.

Sally McCaffrey
Overland Park

Nelson addition

When I saw the world-famous Louvre in Paris that houses the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and other great works of art, I mistakenly thought I would never see an uglier blight on the landscape than that glass pyramid out in front.

Wrong!

I am in complete agreement with John Hirte Jr. (6/14, Letters) That new addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is the ugliest thing I’ve seen in a long time. It totally destroys the lovely vista once viewed down the front lawn of the Nelson.

Doris M. Sanders
Kansas City

Offensive comparison

I’m happy that the addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has generated conversation, including praise and criticism. What more is the purpose of art? However, John Hirte’s reference to Hitler as a possible influence on the designers (6/14, Letters, “Nelson addition”) was offensive and inane.

Hmmm...What did Hitler design? Gas chambers. Is it a little over the top to invoke the Nazis when discussing museum architecture? Let’s look to Godwin’s law here: The first person to invoke Hitler or the Nazis in a debate both ends and loses that debate.

William E. Raney
Kansas City

Thanks to benefactors

With all the excitement about the opening of the incredible Bloch Building addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, let’s not forget the generous people who made this possible. Without these leaders who recognized the need for making this available to all, most of us in mid-America would never have the opportunity to experience the cultures of the world.
For the children and citizens from the communities around the city, a sincere thank you!
Maxine Thompson
Cameron, Mo.

Bloch Building

When I entered the Henry and Marion Bloch’s private collection of Impressionist paintings at the new Bloch Building, I experienced a similar adrenaline rush as when I sledded down their backyard hill as a child.
It was overwhelming to see such exquisite paintings all illuminated, every one more beautiful than the last.
They wrapped around the pastel green and blue walls of the gallery in a surreal illusion.
Original oils by the world’s most famous artists, including Van Gogh, Gauguin, Manet, Monet and Signac, are housed in one room in our city.
I closed my eyes and remembered my childhood sled rides at their home, and that memory does pale to witnessing such fabulous paintings together.
Bravo to the Blochs for letting us enjoy this collection.
Louise Pollock Gruenebaum
Prairie Village

Wow! That was my reaction as I entered the new addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. This is the most forward-looking architecture that has ever been created in Kansas City.
The light, space, angles and art all merge to create a phenomenal experience for the visitor.
Forget the criticisms of the past. This is a masterpiece. Go and see for yourself.
Alex Migliazzo
Leawood

Teacher, ‘monuments man’

I want to underscore John Kroner’s fond tribute (6/11, Letters) to Dr. James Reeds (6/7, Local, “Saluting the monuments men; Kansas Citian James Reeds was member of team that saved art the Nazis looted”).
Attending his classes was a pleasure. He didn’t have to tell us how much he loved both language and teaching. His knowledge, energy and humor were evidence enough. I always felt my ignorance was in good hands.
Like Mr. Kroner, I heard no mention of his wartime accomplishments, but they don’t surprise me.
Martha Taylor
Shawnee

Great art experience

Does Alice Thorson, art critic, really believe that the average person going to the Bloch Building cares whether the art is historically displayed (6/10, A+E, “Art installations need more ‘wow’”)?
Marc Wilson, museum director, was quoted as saying, “We’re not trying to teach art history. We’re trying to give you a great experience.”
I had a wonderful experience last Saturday. I went there to enjoy the art, and I was not disappointed.
Virginia Kirkwood
Kansas City, Kan.

With regard to their criticism of the Nelson-Atkins addition as “an ordinary glass-and-steel office building construction from the ’70s,” Jonathan Hutchins and his friend (6/10, Letters) are really not very observant.
I’d like them to name one 1970s glass-and-steel building that uses textured glass.
They can’t, of course, because this is a relatively new development, and that’s what makes the Bloch addition so exciting.
The textured glass makes the building glow, and the quality of that glowing light varies (both inside and outside of the building) according to the time of day and the weather.
Geraldine E. Fowle
Associate professor, art history
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City

Nelson addition

Whoever was the entity who approved the expansion of the Nelson Gallery deserves my thanks for the destruction of one of the most dramatic and beautiful views in the city. It looks like it was designed by field marshal Rommel for Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, and has the classic lines of a row of giant Igloo coolers.
Perhaps the idea underlying the design was that if they made the new space so stupid, clumsy and austere, the brilliance of the contents would be enhanced. But I don’t think they thought this far ahead.
This addition to the Nelson is a disgrace to the city, and everybody involved should be ashamed of themselves, including you shills at The Star for attempting to pass it off as some kind of architectural triumph.
John D. Hirte Jr.
Kansas City

I suspect that as people praise the interior of the Bloch addition to the Nelson they overlo