This week a fluff show opens at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Titled “Telling Stories,” it features Norman Rockwell illustrations from the private collections of two Hollywood filmmakers, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. As SAAM director Betsy Broun told MAN in March (part one and part two), the two filmmakers and not the museum’s curators came up with the idea for the show. The two men want to be seen as patriots in the Rockwell mode, and this is one way to become that.

Back in April I examined why the New Museum’s fluffing of a trustee was inappropriate. Some of the same reasons apply here. I’ll have more once the show is on view.