Working the Critics: Open Thread

CultureGrrl Lee Rosenbaum wondered aloud about the lack of hard-hitting criticism of new architecture in a post yesterday:

Why do you rarely see strongly negative reviews about new or newly expanded cultural facilities? Cesar Pelli's (pre-Taniguchi) expansion of the Museum of Modern Art, Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Bilbao, Santiago Calatrava's new wing (with wings) for the Milwaukee Art Museum---all received generally favorable notices when they opened, only to become more controversial with the passage of time. Similar revisionism also seems to occur in reviews of the acoustics of new concert halls---Rafael Viñoly's Kimmel Center in Philadelphia comes to mind.

And now that the initial euphoria over the November 2004 reopening of the Museum of Modern Art has passed, a second wave of assessments has been considerably more critical than the first round of polite plaudits.

As one who has enjoyed her share of hardhat tours and press previews of expensive, ambitious museum construction projects, I can attest to a natural reluctance to rain on these elaborate and expensive parades. So many well-meaning, talented people have spent so much time, intellect, money and effort on these new cultural facilities that it's hard to be unkind, let alone censorious.

Clearly, the tours and private previews are designed to get critics' buy-in well ahead of time, but reading Lee's post reminded me of a passage I recently read in former Met Director, Thomas Hoving's 1993 air-kiss-n-tell memoir, Making the Mummies Dance:

But I had no idea whom to sign on as the architect for a total renovation of the museum and its expansion. I had the feeling that the current architectural firm of Brown, Lawford & Forbes wasn't the choice, and I was fearful of what Frank Rogers and the trustee Architectural Committe would come up with. [Arthur] Rosenblatt told me that there was only one firm in the world--Kevein Roche-John Dinkeloo. The names did not make much of an impression. He pointed out that they were the designers of the grand Ford Foundation building with its glass atrium, a structure not yet completed, but much talked about in the architectural press. "Kevin's Irish; John's Dutch---perfect for your stodgy trustees," Rosenblatt added.

Rosenblatt explained all of their credentials and accomplishments---as well as a few failures. One of the pluses was intelligence--the firm, Rosenblatt said, had refused to work for Parks. But the real reason Rosenblatt, a man senstive to PR, finally told me was that the architectural critic of the Times, Ada Louise Huxtable, "loved" them.

Which isn't to suggest institutions always choose their architects from among the darlings of the critics, but it does reveal that the critics are often played by such institutions. Again, from Hoving

At the press conference to announce the appointments, Ada Louise Huxtable confided to me, "Kevin and John are the prefect choices."

So given that a great review from certain critics can have monumental impact in the arts, what can one do to maximize the chances of attracting said great review? In other words, what can one do to "work" the critics? I know this topic may strike some critics as in poor taste, but consider this an opportunity to chime in, anonymously if you like, with what most definitely won't work and you'd rather never see again.

Consider this an open thread:

UPDATE: As George points out in his comment, that last paragraph as written suggested I'm encouraging folks to try and buy critics. I don't recommend that or consider it ethical. I was trying to be glib, but only ended up in being sloppy (and more than a bit dodgy). Let me try that last paragraph again:

So given that a great review from certain critics can have monumental impact in the arts, it's not suprising folks try to influence them. What have you seen/heard about folks trying to maximize their chances of attracting said great review? I know this topic may strike some critics as in poor taste, but consider this an opportunity to chime in, anonymously if you like, with what most definitely won't work and you'd rather never see again.