By now the panic has passed and the shock has set in: Terry Riley really is leaving MoMA! Certainly the approach of the 75th anniversary of the museum's first architecture show has nothing to do with it (though he had no problem selling that pile of malarkey to the Times). Might his reason be that silent-but-deadly colleague Peter Reed was bumped from Riley's number two to Riley's boss last spring? Mayhaps? It's possible? Those who live in unprivate houses...but we digress. It is time to look to the future! Who will be the next Terry? And what are the odds? The Gutter presents a quick annotated list of handicapped contenders. Wait. That came out wrong.

The New Terry: A Quick Annotated List of Handicapped Contenders

Robert A.M. Stern [1:1]
When Sterno dissed Terry in the Times we knew it was on. Anyone can run Yale. But it would take a cunning politician to try to wean MoMA from white walls. Daring? Check. Proven leader? Check. Rides high in the saddle? Check!

Aaron Betsky [3:1]
It would be hard to imagine that this serial conflictor-of-interest would not want to upgrade from his inconsequential perch in the hinterlands and take his place in the Big Game. It would be equally hard to imagine the MoMA search committee not responding to the charms of this serial suck-up.

Joe Rosa [50:1]
The man who brought cutting-edge architecture to Washington (and Pittsburgh!), replaced Betsky in San Francisco, was recently tapped by Chicago's Art Institute, rocks way too hard with Zaha and Wolf, and even worked previously at MoMA might seem like a shoo-in. But we hear he's really nice. So moving on...

Paola Antonelli [100:1]
Amiamo Paola come la nostra sorella italiana persa! Pensiamo che sia fantastica! E così caldo! Come Vesuvio caldo! Ma gli uomini difettosi al museo dell'arte moderna mai davrebbero questo bello piccolo vixen un colpo al lavoro del Terry? È troppo simile alla sua attuale posizione? Non sarebbe sicuro? Chi si preoccupa! Siamo nell'amore e perfino le acque del Tiber hanno un sapore come vino.

Herbert Muschamp [10:1]
Now that he's not sucking at the Times or writing The Gutter, Herbert has plenty of time on his hands. Why not put on a show!

· Leaving His Mark on Design as He Leaves MoMA [NYT]

Posted in Gutter Talk