Maine’s Portland Museum Plans Expansion, Clobbers Visitors with PC Crap

I like all things Maine. It’s called Vacationland for its mountains, lakes, and wild, rocky Atlantic shores, but Maine has a lively, eccentric art scene and wonderful museums. I’ve written especially about the Portland Museum of Art over the years. It does nice exhibitions, often with Maine themes, and has a strong American collection anchored by Winslow Homer, a local. It’s a welcoming, unfussy place.

Earlier this summer I wrote about the PMA’s very good Todd Webb exhibition. Webb, another Mainer, photographed everyday life in Africa in pivotal 1958, when so many French colonies went independent. His vibrant, charming color photographs hadn’t been displayed much. Kooky curators ran amok. It’s colonialism, dears, they told us, and, by the by, how dare those black people look so happy. That white photographer must have tricked them! Such was the tone.

About the Author

Brian T. Allen

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

I like all things Maine. It’s called Vacationland for its mountains, lakes, and wild, rocky Atlantic shores, but Maine has a lively, eccentric art scene and wonderful museums. I’ve written especially about the Portland Museum of Art over the years. It does nice exhibitions, often with Maine themes, and has a strong American collection anchored by Winslow Homer, a local. It’s a welcoming, unfussy place.

Earlier this summer I wrote about the PMA’s very good Todd Webb exhibition. Webb, another Mainer, photographed everyday life in Africa in pivotal 1958, when so many French colonies went independent. His vibrant, charming color photographs hadn’t been displayed much. Kooky curators ran amok. It’s colonialism, dears, they told us, and, by the by, how dare those black people look so happy. That white photographer must have tricked them! Such was the tone.