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Appointment of Neil MacGregor as head of Humboldt Forum silences critics Appointment of Neil MacGregor as head of Humboldt Forum silences critics
(35 minutes later)
It is one of Germany’s most prestigious arts projects, costing almost €600m (£435m) and billed as an international centre of global culture. But critics of the grandiose Humboldt Forum in Berlin, due to open in four years, have periodically charged that its concept is vague and confused. It is one of Germany’s most prestigious arts projects, costing almost €600m (£435m) and billed as an international centre of global culture. But critics of the grandiose Humboldt Forum in Berlin, which is scheduled to open in four years, have periodically charged that its concept is vague and confused.
Any such doubts evaporated this week with the announcement that Neil MacGregor, the outgoing director of the British Museum, is to take a key role in steering the Humboldt towards what is now expected to be a resounding success and huge cultural draw.Any such doubts evaporated this week with the announcement that Neil MacGregor, the outgoing director of the British Museum, is to take a key role in steering the Humboldt towards what is now expected to be a resounding success and huge cultural draw.
“The respect for MacGregor is so monumental that I think this discussion will stop for a moment,” said art historian Horst Bredekamp of Berlin’s Humboldt University. “The respect for MacGregor is so monumental that I think this discussion will stop for a moment,” said art historian Horst Bredekamp of Humboldt University.
“What wasn’t clear was what the connections between the museum and the other parts of the Humboldt Forum will look like. That will be [MacGregor’s] job, and I do think the storm of admiration at the moment will help him,” said Hermann Parzinger, president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and much-decorated archaeologist. “What wasn’t clear was what the connections between the museum and the other parts of the Humboldt Forum will look like. That will be [MacGregor’s] job, and I do think the storm of admiration at the moment will help him,” said Hermann Parzinger, archaeologist andd president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation.
The two men - both old friends of MacGregor’s - will join him on a committee to be chaired by the British Museum director, which will make recommendations to the German government on “how the Humboldt­ Forum, drawing on the outstanding resources of the Berlin collections, can become a place where different narratives of world cultures can be explored and debated”. The two men – both old friends of MacGregor’s – will join him on a committee to be chaired by the British Museum director, which will make recommendations to the German government on “how the Humboldt­ Forum, drawing on the outstanding resources of the Berlin collections, can become a place where different narratives of world cultures can be explored and debated”.
Since announcing his decision to leave the British Museum at the end of the year, MacGregor has declined further interviews about future roles. “For the moment, his focus is still on the job at hand,” said a spokeswoman.Since announcing his decision to leave the British Museum at the end of the year, MacGregor has declined further interviews about future roles. “For the moment, his focus is still on the job at hand,” said a spokeswoman.
But the German media has unanimously hailed MacGregor’s appointment as foundational artistic director of the Humboldt as a major coup for Berlin.But the German media has unanimously hailed MacGregor’s appointment as foundational artistic director of the Humboldt as a major coup for Berlin.
“It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that there is no other museum man with the same wealth of experience and renown worldwide,” said Der Tagesspiegel newspaper. State broadcaster ARD described MacGregor as a “polyglot world spirit who can and will turn the idea of the Humboldt Forum into an institution, a stage on which the cultures of the world will present themselves.” “It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that there is no other museum man with the same wealth of experience and renown worldwide,” said Der Tagesspiegel newspaper. State broadcaster ARD described the 68-year-old as a “polyglot world spirit who can and will turn the idea of the Humboldt Forum into an institution, a stage on which the cultures of the world will present themselves”.
Several newspapers noted that MacGregor had reportedly turned down the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in favour of the German capital.Several newspapers noted that MacGregor had reportedly turned down the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in favour of the German capital.
The appointment was also seen as a triumph for Monika Grütters, the state secretary for culture who reportedly spent six months working to win MacGregor for the prestige project. “Well done, Mrs Grütters!” cheered Eckhard Fuhr, culture correspondent for Die Welt. “Anyone else would have been a second choice.” The appointment was also seen as a triumph for Monika Grütters, the state secretary for culture who reportedly spent six months working to bring MacGregor on board. “Well done, Mrs Grütters!” wrote Eckhard Fuhr, culture correspondent for Die Welt. “Anyone else would have been a second choice.”
According to Bredekamp, “in Germany [MacGregor] is famous for his interest in our culture. He knows, in a certain sense, Germany sometimes better than Germans.”According to Bredekamp, “in Germany [MacGregor] is famous for his interest in our culture. He knows, in a certain sense, Germany sometimes better than Germans.”
His abiding fascination and passion for the country was amplified in a BBC documentary broadcast last month, in which he recalled a teenage visit to a divided Berlin at the height of the cold war and another, as head of the National Gallery, in 1989 when the wall came down. MacGregor’s abiding fascination and passion for the country was amplified in a BBC documentary broadcast last month, in which he recalled a teenage visit to a divided Berlin at the height of the cold war and another, as head of the National Gallery, London, in 1989 when the wall came down.
“To be able to see the city coming together again, watching the two parts of the city merge to such an extent, most people now have no idea where the wall was,” he said.“To be able to see the city coming together again, watching the two parts of the city merge to such an extent, most people now have no idea where the wall was,” he said.
“There is no other city that has been made to rethink itself like that, for historical reasons. And that gives an energy and an openness to what you can think, do and be in Berlin and now you feel this is the European city of the future, that it is able to think without the constraints of the past.”“There is no other city that has been made to rethink itself like that, for historical reasons. And that gives an energy and an openness to what you can think, do and be in Berlin and now you feel this is the European city of the future, that it is able to think without the constraints of the past.”
Berlin, he said, was a “very creative environment”. German visual art was “the liveliest and most creative in Europe” over the past 30 and 40 years and he praised Germany’s ambition for its cultural institutions.Berlin, he said, was a “very creative environment”. German visual art was “the liveliest and most creative in Europe” over the past 30 and 40 years and he praised Germany’s ambition for its cultural institutions.
He added: “What is very remarkable about German history as a whole is that the Germans use their history to think about the future, where the British tend to use their history to comfort themselves... the Germans use it as a challenge to behave better in the future.” He added: “What is very remarkable about German history as a whole is that the Germans use their history to think about the future, where the British tend to use their history to comfort themselves … the Germans use it as a challenge to behave better in the future.”
Michael Eissenhauer, director general of the Berlin State Museums, said MacGregor’s work at the British Museum fitted the tradition of the Humboldt brothers, Wilhelm and Alexander - 19th century naturalists, geographers, classicists, and travellers, often seen among the founders of the modern museum.“The approach is that it will be a part of a great centre of world cultures in the middle of Europe,” said Eissenhauer. “In the tradition of the Humboldt brothers, it will be an enlightenment machine in which the cultures of the world can meet.”“Alexander von Humboldt developed ideas about the non-hierarchical interaction and respect for other cultures. That was developed in the early 19th century in Berlin,” said Bredekamp. “The Humboldt Forum is a spectacular idea that will bring this model into the future.” Michael Eissenhauer, director general of the Berlin State Museums, said MacGregor’s work at the British Museum fitted the tradition of the Humboldt brothers, Wilhelm and Alexander - 19th-century naturalists, geographers, classicists and travellers, often seen among the founders of the modern museum.“The approach is that it will be a part of a great centre of world cultures in the middle of Europe,” he said. “In the tradition of the Humboldt brothers, it will be an enlightenment machine in which the cultures of the world can meet.”
A topping-out ceremony for the Humboldt Forum is planned for 12 June, two years after construction work began, leaving four years to plan and build the interiors before the projected opening. Bredekamp added: “Alexander von Humboldt developed ideas about the non-hierarchical interaction and respect for other cultures. That was developed in the early 19th century in Berlin. The Humboldt Forum is a spectacular idea that will bring this model into the future.”
A topping-out ceremony for the building is planned for 12 June, two years after construction work began, leaving four years to plan and build the interiors before the opening.
The building itself is not without controversy. Designed to be a mixture of the old and the new, three of its façades, as well as the courtyard, will be direct reconstructions of Berlin’s old Stadtschloss, while the rest of the building will have a modern design.This decision, made by the Bundestag in 2007 following many years of negotiations, invited a certain amount of ridicule at the time. Bredekamp himself wasn’t a fan, though he has come round: “I was very much in favour of a modern building - say, by Frank Gehry or somebody else - but the more I think about it, and the more I see this building being constructed, the more I think it is a superb solution.”The building itself is not without controversy. Designed to be a mixture of the old and the new, three of its façades, as well as the courtyard, will be direct reconstructions of Berlin’s old Stadtschloss, while the rest of the building will have a modern design.This decision, made by the Bundestag in 2007 following many years of negotiations, invited a certain amount of ridicule at the time. Bredekamp himself wasn’t a fan, though he has come round: “I was very much in favour of a modern building - say, by Frank Gehry or somebody else - but the more I think about it, and the more I see this building being constructed, the more I think it is a superb solution.”