The article discusses the impact of President Donald Trump's executive order on federal funding for museums, specifically at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). The order has led to the revocation of a significant grant aimed at preserving an extensive collection of African American quilts, including works by notable artists like Rosie Lee Tompkins. As the museum prepares for a major exhibit highlighting the quilts' history, the loss of funding poses challenges in conservation and photography efforts, jeopardizing the preservation of these cultural treasures.
Trump's March 14 order, targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and other agencies, was part of a wave of actions against cultural organizations that he alleges have been overtaken by woke ideology.
It's a very big undertaking to conserve and photograph 3,000 quilts, said BAMPFA Executive Director Julie Rodrigues Widholm. We feel very responsible and honored to be stewards of this collection.
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