I.

Calling of the Meeting to Order – Diane B. Wilsey, President

A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco was held on Thursday, March 2, 2006, in the Board Room, Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park, San Francisco.  By resolution adopted at the January 26, 2006 Board meeting, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to change the date, time and location of this meeting from March 9^th, at noon in the Piazzoni Murals Room at the de Young.  This change permitted the Executive Committee members to conveniently attend the opening of the exhibition, Judging by Appearance:  Master Drawings from the Collection of Joseph and Deborah Goldyne, immediately following the meeting. 

A quorum being present, the meeting was called to order at 4:15 p.m. by Diane B. Wilsey, President.  President Wilsey presided; Mrs. Gough acted as Secretary.

II.

Calling of the Roll

Present:

Alvin H. Baum, Jr.
Iris S. Chan
Marion Cope
Diane B. Lloyd-Butler, Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Marianne H. Peterson
Robert P. Morrow III
Louise H. Renne
Randolph H. Scott, Vice President for Audience Development and Civic Affairs
Diane B. Wilsey, President

Excused:

Nion McEvoy
Michael H. Podell
Shelagh Rohlen, Vice President for Annual Support
Lonna Wais

Other Trustees in Attendance:

George Hecksher, Vice President for Collections
Paul A. Violich, Vice President for Finance
Stephanie MacColl

III.

Closed Session for Conference with Legal Counsel for Existing Litigation

President Wilsey advised that this closed session item concerns claim number 06-01253 against the Fine Arts Museums as an agency of the City and County of San Francisco.  This claim was filed by Scott Andreae, a partner of Ilo Design on November 22, 2005.

President Wilsey welcomed Deputy City Attorney Adine Varah, who was present to discuss the existing litigation. 

A. Public Comment on All Matters Pertaining to the Closed Session

President Wilsey stated that public comment would be taken at this time on all matters pertaining to the closed session before the Executive Committee votes to convene in closed session.  There was no public comment.

B. Vote on Whether to Hold Closed Session to Confer with Legal Counsel [San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.10(d)]

A motion to convene in closed session was made and seconded.  There was no discussion among Trustees or members of the public.  The Executive Committee voted unanimously to convene in closed session.  Members of the public and all staff, with the exception of John Buchanan, Debbie Albuquerque, Barbara Boucke, Deborah Frieden, Robert Futernick, and Judy Gough, were excused from the Board Room.

C. Closed Session Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 and San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.10(d)

Conference with Legal Counsel, Deputy City Attorney Adine Varah – Existing Litigation

1. Scott A. Andreae (of Ilo Design) vs. the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (City and County of San Francisco)

President Wilsey called the closed session to order and introduced Adine Varah, Deputy City Attorney, who reported on the existing litigation.

D. Reconvene in Open Session

1. Possible Report on Action Taken in Closed Session [Government Code Section 54957.1(a)(2) and San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.12(b)(2)]

President Wilsey reconvened the meeting in open session and reported that an action was taken by the Executive Committee during the closed session.  A motion was made and duly seconded not to disclose the action taken in closed session.  There was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public comment.  The Executive Committee voted unanimously not to disclose the action taken in closed session.

2. Vote to Elect Whether to Disclose Any or All Discussions Held in Closed Session [San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.12(a)]

A motion was made and duly seconded not to disclose any or all discussions held in the closed session.  There was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public comment.  The Executive Committee voted unanimously not to disclose any of the discussion held in the closed session.

IV.

Report of the President – Diane B. Wilsey

A. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve the Minutes of the January 26, 2006 Meeting of the Board of Trustees

There being no discussion among the Trustees or members of the public, the minutes of the January 26, 2006 meeting of the Board of Trustees, having been mailed in advance to all Trustees, were unanimously approved.

  V.

Report of the Director of Museums – John E. Buchanan, Jr.

A. Report on Initial Month at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Mr. Buchanan expressed appreciation to Deputy City Adine Varah for her efforts in assisting with his transition as Director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.  Effective February 1^st, Mr. Buchanan assumed the responsibilities of Director of Museums and represented the Fine Arts Museums at the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) in Palm Beach, Florida, for the first few days of his tenure.  Mr. Buchanan noted that he will chair the next AAMD meeting, which will be held in Portland, Oregon.

His first full day began with a Senior Staff meeting at 9 a.m., Monday, February 6th.  At this weekly meeting, operational, departmental, and institutional priorities are reviewed.  Since February 6^th, Mr. Buchanan reported that he has met with each member of the staff in round table departmental meetings.  The immediate future will focus on meetings with Trustees, donors, the Museums’ constituencies and stakeholders.

Mr. Buchanan described with enthusiasm his first impressions of the Museums, and particularly discussed public programming and Friday Nights at the de Young.  He noted the Friday evening program on February 10^th, “A Celebration of New Guinea Art”, which featured a lecture by Trustee John Friede.  The successful Tribal Arts Show Benefit on February 9^th was acknowledged, and Co-Chairs Bette and Randolph Scott and Marie and George Hecksher, and Honorary Co-Chairs Gail and J. Alec Merriam, were thanked for their efforts.  Mr. Buchanan  participated in an event organized by the Friends of New Art, and has spent time with the European Decorative Arts Council, the San Francisco Auxiliary, and the Museum Associates.  On February 23^rd, he made a presentation on marketing museums and tourism at the annual Convention and Visitors Bureau Conference in San Francisco.  This presentation highlighted the marketing of the de Young prior to and following the October 15^th opening.  More than 600,000 individuals have visited the de Young since it opened.

Planning for the next year has begun, including the initiation of the fiscal year 2006-07 operating budget process.  

Mr. Buchanan noted that the exhibitions, Monet in Normandy, Chicano Visions:  The Cheech Marin Collection  / Chicano Now / Chicano Encounters, and The Quilts of Gee’s Bend are scheduled for this summer.  In the fall, Ruth Asawa:  Knit Together will be on display at the de Young and Nature and Culture:  Claude Lorrain from the British Museum will be featured at the Legion of Honor.  Two curatorial meetings have been held to discuss and plan future special exhibitions.  Possibilities include 17^th and 18^th century Baroque masterpieces from the Capodimonte Museum in Naples, Italy; Tales for an Eruption, which focuses on the demise of Pompeii; and a show featuring contemporary artists Gilbert and George.  The Tate Modern is mounting a retrospective of their work, which will travel to the United States.  In addition, there are opportunities to participate in a 2008 tour of photography by Annie Leibowitz and a Louise Nevelson exhibition.  Mr. Buchanan further advised that discussions are underway with colleagues in Paris and Russia regarding potential exhibitions.  In particular a costume exhibition from the Museum of Theater, Dance, and Opera in St. Petersburg, Russia is being explored.

B. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve Loan Requests

At the request of Mr. Buchanan, Robert Futernick, Associate Director, presented the following loan requests:

1. From:  Museo Thyssen – Bornemisza
Madrid, Spain

For:  Sargent / Sorolla
Museo Thyssen – Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain:  10/3/06 – 1/8/07
Petit Palais, Paris, France:  2/12/07 – 5/13/07

John Singer Sargent (American, 1856 – 1925)
La Verre de Porto (A Dinner Table at Night), 1884
Oil on canvas, 20 ¼ x 26 ¼ (51.4 x 66.7 cm)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of the Atholl McBean
Foundation
73.12

Stipulations:  The painting will be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to Madrid and return from Paris to San Francisco.  All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.

*****

2. From:  Timken Museum of Art
San Diego, CA

For:  Guercino:  Stylistic Evolution in Focus
Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, CA:  10/13/06 – 1/6/07

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Guercino) (Italian, 1591 – 1666)
Samson and the Honeycomb, ca. 1657
Oil on canvas, 39 ¾ x 45 ¾ (101 x 116.2 cm)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum purchase, Roscoe and Margaret Oakes Income Fund

Stipulations:  The painting will be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to San Diego and return to San Francisco.  All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.

A motion was made and seconded to approve the two loan requests noted above.  There was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the loans subject to the conditions stated.

C. Current and Future Exhibits

The International Arts and Crafts: William Morris to Frank Lloyd Wright exhibition opens at the de Young on March 18^th, and runs through June 18^th.  The exhibition was organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  Mark Jones, the Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, will attend the opening.  On March 20^th, the Bouquet to Art Opening Gala will be held at the de Young.  Bouquets to Art 2006 runs from Monday, March 21 through Saturday, March 25^th.  Mr. Buchanan advised that later in the meeting Robert Flynn Johnson will discuss the exhibition, Judging by Appearance:  Master Drawings from the Goldyne Collection, which opens tonight at the Legion of Honor and runs through June 4^th.

D. Update on City Budget

Mr. Buchanan reported that the budget request for Fiscal Year 2006-07 has been submitted to the City.  It totals $9,890K and covers the cost of guards, maintenance, engineers, utilities, and collection insurance at both the Legion of Honor and de Young Museum.  The FY 2006-07 City budget annualizes de Young expenses, about $1.3 million in additional expense over the  FY 2005-06 City Budget, which included nine months of de Young operating expense. 

  VI.

Public Comment

Members of the public may address the Executive Committee on items that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.  Speakers may address the Executive Committee for up to three minutes; the President or the Executive Committee may limit the total comment to thirty minutes.  The following individual gave public comment.

Tomasita Medál encouraged Trustees to attend Táctica y Estrategia, Tactics and Strategies, 19^th Annual Sólo Mujeres Exhibition of Women Artists, at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (2868 Mission Street, San Francisco).  The exhibition from March 3 – April 1, 2006 explores the various modes of visual expression utilized by contemporary Latina artists dealing with personal and social issues.

VII.

Meeting Schedule, Future Events and Current and Future Exhibits

A. 2006 Board of Trustees Meetings

B. 2006 Executive Committee Meetings

C. Future Events

D. Current and Future Exhibitions (*Exhibitions organized by FAMSF)

1. Legion of Honor

Main Exhibition Galleries

Departmental  Rotations

2. de Young

Main Exhibition Galleries

Departmental Rotations

  VIII.

Adjournment in Memory of  Honorary Trustee Caroline McCoy-Jones - Diane B. Wilsey, President

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:25 p.m. in memory of Honorary Trustee Caroline McCoy-Jones. 

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Gough
Executive Secretary

Note:  These minutes set forth all actions taken up by the Executive Committee on matters stated, but not necessarily in the order in which the matters were considered.