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Neuberger Museum of Art

backstory: Front and Back

Good curators spend time thinking about how objects should be seen based on a combination of artist intent, as far as it can be determined, and the space within which the object is being displayed. How high should a painting be installed? Is a particular sculpture frontal, like a bas relief, or does it need to be viewed “in-the-round”?

Back in January, I wrote to you about the reinstallation of our site-specific (designed for a specific space) sculpture entitled Neon Lintel by Stephen Antonakos. I mentioned that it had been removed for safety reasons because of nearby construction—a new building encompassing a new formal entrance to campus. Neon Lintel is sort of a double-sided sculpture and its location close to the museum building at the end of one of our Edward Larrabee Barnes-designed campus arcades meant that, prior to its dismantling, I had mostly always viewed the work from one angle: basically, whenever I walked out the door of the museum and turned left.

Neon Lintel is now back in its place and can be seen from the new entrance to campus—a different perspective from how I had so often seen it before. It’s still stunning from the Neuberger side but, there, wow. It hovers above the space, majestically, knowingly, as if it has only just now realized the full potential of its site-specificity. Truly a beacon.

Tracy Fitzpatrick
Director, Neuberger Museum of Art
Interim Managing Director, The Performing Arts Center
Find me on Twitter @tracyfitzart


Image: Stephen Antonakos’ Neon Lintel was originally commissioned for the 1997 Neuberger Museum Biennial Exhibition of Public Art. Antonakos was one of the pioneers transforming the commercial technology of neon into a rich aesthetic medium. The simplicity of the works’ bright lines lend balance to the asymmetrical roofline as it aligns with the horizon.