Remembering Bill Ivey, Guy Cogeval, and Marilyn A. Zeitlin

4 hours ago7 min read1 comments

The art world feels quieter this week, its vibrant hum diminished by the passing of three distinct pillars whose lives were testaments to the profound, often unspoken, connection between art and the human spirit. We remember Bill Ivey, Guy Cogeval, and Marilyn A.Zeitlin not merely as titles on a museum directory or lines in a curator’s bio, but as individuals who understood that art is never just about the object on the wall or the sculpture on the plinth; it’s about the conversation it sparks in the soul of the person standing before it. I’ve always been fascinated by what drives people to dedicate their lives to this dialogue, and in these three, we see a beautiful spectrum of that devotion.Bill Ivey, for instance, was more than a museum director; he was a bridge builder. His work, particularly during his tenure at the Smithsonian’s National Endowment for the Arts, wasn't confined to the hushed halls of institutions.He was a politician for art, a champion who fought in the gritty arena of policy and funding, understanding that for culture to thrive, it needs roots not just in passion, but in practical, financial soil. He was the advocate ensuring that a child in a rural town could have the same chance to be transformed by a painting or a performance as a critic in New York, a reminder that access is a form of artistry in itself.Then there was Guy Cogeval, a name synonymous with a certain grand, theatrical flair in exhibition-making. As president of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, he was a storyteller on a colossal scale.He didn’t just display Impressionist masterpieces; he orchestrated entire worlds around them, building narratives that connected art to theater, music, and the very fabric of the Belle Époque. To walk through one of his exhibitions was to be an participant in a rich, historical drama.He understood the psychology of the visitor, the desire not just to see, but to feel and to be transported. His legacy is a lesson in the power of context—that a painting can be a solitary marvel, but when placed in conversation with its time, it becomes a roaring symphony.And in Marilyn A. Zeitlin, we find a different, equally vital energy.As a curator and the founding director of the University Art Museum at Arizona State University, her focus was often on the contemporary, the challenging, the voices on the margins. She listened to the art of her time with a fierce and discerning ear, championing artists who were pushing boundaries and asking difficult questions.Her work was an act of faith in the present moment, a belief that the art being made today is just as crucial as the old masters. She cultivated not just collections, but communities of artists and thinkers, creating a space where new ideas could germinate and flourish.Speaking with those who knew them, you don’t hear about their resumes first; you hear about their presence. A colleague of Ivey’s might recall his steadfast calm in a contentious budget meeting, a curator who worked with Cogeval remembers the exact timbre of his voice as he described the lighting for a Van Gogh, and an artist nurtured by Zeitlin speaks of the quiet intensity of her attention during a studio visit.These are the human moments that built their legacies. Their simultaneous departure creates a poignant void, a collective intake of breath for the cultural landscape.Yet, the work continues. The galleries they curated still hang with the art they loved, the policies they fought for still (hopefully) fund new creations, and the artists they supported continue to make their mark.They remind us that a life in art is not a passive one; it is an active, enduring commitment to shaping how we see our world and, ultimately, ourselves. Their stories are a powerful interview in the value of a cultural life, a narrative that continues to unfold in every museum that opens its doors and every person who stops to truly look.

#Bill Ivey

#Guy Cogeval

#Marilyn Zeitlin

#obituaries

#arts community

#remembrance

#featured

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