Small New York City Museums Are Closing Their Doors Amid Challenges

Small museums that have contributed to defining the distinct identity of the art scene in New York City are closing, shifting locations, or changing their names, blaming difficult financial times. The Center for Italian Modern Art (CIMA) has been closed permanently. Italian collector, curator, and art historian Laura Mattioli established CIMA in 2013. It encouraged discussion of modern and contemporary Italian art among academics and the general public. Major Italian Modern artists who had hardly ever been shown in North America were featured in several of CIMA’s 13 exhibitions. 

Small New York City Museums Are Closing Their Doors Amid Challenges

Acknowledging that the exhibitions are “severely outdated” and contain culturally sensitive items, the American Museum of Natural History in New York is shutting two rooms showcasing Native American antiquities starting on Saturday. In order to comply with newly revised federal restrictions regarding the display of Indigenous human remains and cultural objects, the massive complex located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side across from Central Park is the latest American institution to conceal or remove Native American displays.

NYC museum closing two Native American halls

The Center for Italian Modern Art (CIMA)

The Center for Italian Modern Art (CIMA), a research and art museum located in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood, has been closed on June 22. It organized 13 shows during that period, several of which brought to light important Italian contemporary art personalities who had not often been shown in North America.

In addition, 42 residential fellows and 10 travel fellows were hosted by CIMA as part of its sponsorship of academic research. By assisting these fellows in producing an enormous amount of books, catalogs, and articles, CIMA furthered the institution’s mission to support Italian American research and intellectual interaction. In putting up 48 shows over the last five years, the museum observed excellent ticket sales and an extremely engaged membership base, despite the global epidemic. With a larger gallery space in response to ambitious aspirations from artists, ideally that will remain the same and more.

Fotografiska New York

Amazing photography, art, and culture displays have been on display at Fotografiska, a photographic museum, within a magnificent skyscraper in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, since late 2019. Unfortunately, though, the ancient building appears to be unsuitable for the large-scale photographic shows that museum officials would want to include, despite its impressive exterior. Fotografiska is shutting on September 29 in order to find a new location in New York City because of this.

The walls of Fotografiska’s sister sites in Berlin, Shanghai, Stockholm, and Tallinn are twelve feet high, but the walls of this structure are just nine feet high. It’s accomplished that aim here, despite having limited room in New York City. The museum unveiled Daniel Arsham’s photography, debuted Andres Serrano’s renowned series, and hosted the first-ever lifetime retrospective of David LaChapelle’s work in the United States. Exhibitions by artists residing in New York City, including Martin Schoeller, Pixy Liao, Adrienne Raquel, Kia LaBeija, and Ethan James Green, were also held at the museum.

Don’t miss the Vivian Maier display, which runs from May 31 to September 29, and the show on renowned street photographer Bruce Gilden, which runs from June 21 to September 29, before the museum closes its doors here. Following the closing of 281 Park Ave. South, a new exhibition celebrating 100 years of New York City nightlife will be shown at a temporary venue. This announcement follows The Rubin Museum of Art’s announcement on October 6 that it will be closing its physical location and switching to a decentralized format.

Rubin Museum to close NY Space After 20 Years

The Himalayan art-focused Rubin Museum of Art will terminate its New York location this autumn after 20 years of operation. Still, the museum will go on as a space less institution that offers long-term loans and as a research facilitation organization. The museum will also keep organizing a funding program for initiatives centered around Himalayan art and a prize for Himalayan art. October 6 would be last day of the museum’s location in Chelsea. The Rubin was established in 2004 to serve as a home for their collection. In addition to permanent collection displays, the museum has frequently hosted exhibits of contemporary art.

The Tibetan Buddhist shrine area, which uses scroll paintings, Buddhas, textiles, musical instruments, and other items to replicate the feeling of being in a holy setting, has been one of the museum’s most popular attractions. October will see the closure of the whole museum, including the shrine chamber. However, according to a representative from Rubin, the museum is now looking for a permanent home for it in New York.