Columnist Sebastian Smee highlights nine art exhibitions opening this fall, noting that museum curators plan major shows two to five years in advance, and the cultural mood can shift dramatically between conception and execution. The article reflects on how exhibitions that once felt timely may now feel dissonant or precarious upon opening.
This matters because it underscores the inherent tension between curatorial planning and the fast-changing cultural zeitgeist, revealing how exhibitions can become unexpectedly charged or controversial by the time they debut. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at the risks and unpredictability of organizing major museum shows.