Yale Center for British Art Reopens & Tracey Emin Exhibition

Earlier this week, I visited the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven. Colloquially called the British Art Center, or the BAC, it’s been closed for a two-year renovation. Finally reopened, it looks splendid. The BAC, blissful and revelatory, is our little planet’s best collection of British art outside the U.K. As both a Yalie and a townie, I’ve written about it a half dozen times over the years not only from provincial pride and warm sentiment but for the quality of its scholarly exhibitions. Since the BAC opened in 1977, I’ve been a regular. It’s one of two art museums — the other’s the Clark Art Institute — that soothes my soul when riled, refreshes my eye for beauty, and makes me smile. I’m grateful it’s part of my life.

Today I’ll review the renovation, the rehang of the permanent collection, and Tracey Emin: I Loved You Until the Morning, one of its impressive opening exhibitions. But, first, I’ll dwell on the past, bitchily. Alas, the BAC’s had a forlorn five years. On Yale’s orders, and like the splendid Yale University Art Gallery across the street, the BAC put a big Keep Out sign on its doors for nearly two years during the Covid mass hysteria and vacation from reality. You’d think that Yale, packed with credentialed scientists, would have led the charge against the biggest medical fraud in history but, captured by chumps, brown nosers, and slugs, the university kept its museums closed to the public nearly longer than anyplace else did. Wee Dr. Tony-the-Phony even spoke at Yale’s medical-school commencement, to cheers from faculty and graduates steeped in received wisdom and evidently untroubled by labs leaking pathogens.

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Brian T. Allen

Brian T. Allen is National Review’s art critic.

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Earlier this week, I visited the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven. Colloquially called the British Art Center, or the BAC, it’s been closed for a two-year renovation. Finally reopened, it looks splendid. The BAC, blissful and revelatory, is our little planet’s best collection of British art outside the U.K. As both a Yalie and a townie, I’ve written about it a half dozen times over the years not only from provincial pride and warm sentiment but for the quality of its scholarly exhibitions. Since the BAC opened in 1977, I’ve been a regular. It’s one of two art museums — the other’s the Clark Art Institute — that soothes my soul when riled, refreshes my eye for beauty, and makes me smile. I’m grateful it’s part of my life.

Today I’ll review the renovation, the rehang of the permanent collection, and Tracey Emin: I Loved You Until the Morning, one of its impressive opening exhibitions. But, first, I’ll dwell on the past, bitchily. Alas, the BAC’s had a forlorn five years. On Yale’s orders, and like the splendid Yale University Art Gallery across the street, the BAC put a big Keep Out sign on its doors for nearly two years during the Covid mass hysteria and vacation from reality. You’d think that Yale, packed with credentialed scientists, would have led the charge against the biggest medical fraud in history but, captured by chumps, brown nosers, and slugs, the university kept its museums closed to the public nearly longer than anyplace else did. Wee Dr. Tony-the-Phony even spoke at Yale’s medical-school commencement, to cheers from faculty and graduates steeped in received wisdom and evidently untroubled by labs leaking pathogens.