Brooklyn Museum Ratner Gala Continues to Stir Anger

Of all the events happening in Brooklyn tonight, one that will generate the most feeling among some people is the Brooklyn Museum Gala honoring developer Bruce Ratner. A protest has been organized and there have been angry letters circulating about the event, including an "open letter" to the Museum, which would seem to indicate that some of its members and supporters are upset. The letter said, in part: "I do not believe it is appropriate for a respected public institution like the Brooklyn Museum to be honoring Bruce Ratner...A museum should be a good neighbor to its community. You cannot be a good neighbor by promoting the activities of someone who is a bad neighbor, and worse, to the community."

From the museum's perspective, however, the Gala is a big-ticket institutional thank you to a major supporter. The museum refused to tell the Daily News how much Mr. Ratner has donated, but Atlantic Yards Report notes that IRS records show donations of $100,000 in each of 2005 and 2006 (with 2007 records not yet available) from the Forest City Ratner Companies Foundation. AYR writes:

Given that tables of 12 with premier seating at the gala are going for $50,000 to $75,000, and tables of ten range from $5000 to $25,000, it's a good bet that the honor for Ratner will draw significant sums. And it's not unlikely that Ratner and colleagues have made individual donations.

Clearly, tonight's even will raise millions for the museum. Meanwhile, Rachel Monahan and Jotham Sederstrom look at the Gala in today's Daily News. Here's an excerpt:

At least two museum trustees have close ties to Forest City Ratner, with Joanne Minieri acting as president of the development company and former museum director RobertRubin a Nets owner. "Bruce C. Ratner is being honored with the Augustus Graham Medal at the Brooklyn Museum's Ball in recognition of his longstanding support of this museum and art and cultural institutions throughout New York City," [Museum Spokesperson Sally] Williams said. "For nearly three decades, the Brooklyn Museum has awarded this honor to a distinguished group of individuals who have helped to sustain the arts in our community."

Meanwhile, photographer Tracey Collins, who is producing an invaluable historical record of photos of the Atlantic Yards footprint, writes of his dismay in participating in the museum's "Click!" exhibit:

In a nutshell, I'm very reluctant to participate in, let alone, promote what I believe to be a great concept when the board of the museum chooses to bestow an honor on a developer whose signature project would leave a lasting scar on Brooklyn's "changing face."

Kanye West is performing at tonight's event. Whether the controversy will blow over quickly or whether the bitter divisions of opinion about Atlantic Yards will spill over into the museum's community fund raising, membership and activities remains to be seen.