"After more than three decades as the editor of Art in America magazine, Elizabeth C. Baker, a powerful voice in the contemporary-art world," as Randy Kennedy describes her, has resigned.
"The change comes shortly after a shake-up in the magazine's ownership. Peter M. Brant, a newsprint magnate and art collector, took over Brant Publications, the magazine's publisher, in January after buying out the 50 percent stake owned by his former wife, Sandra Brant. Mr. Brant appointed Fabien Baron and Glenn O'Brien as joint editorial directors of Art in America and the company's two other publications, Interview and The Magazine Antiques. Ms. Baker, known as Betsy, took over the magazine in 1974. Under her leadership Art in America grew from a bimonthly publication with a circulation of around 45,000 to a monthly with a circulation of more than 75,000, featuring the writing of many influential critics. Marcia E. Vetrocq, who joined Art in America in 1998 as a senior editor, will take over as editor. Ms. Baker will become editor at large in charge of special projects, which will include book publishing and Web site development."
Lee Rosenbaun, also known as "Culture Grrl" from her blog and a former Art in America editor has written about the changes:
This is truly the end of an era. Betsy Baker, editor of Art in America magazine since 1974, has resigned. Marcia Vetrocq, one of five senior editors, has become the new editor. According to my source at AiA, where I am a contributing editor, Betsy will continue working on projects for the magazine and will remain on the masthead (possibly as editor-at-large).
Working at Art in America, shortly after Betsy arrived as editor, was my first art-related gig in the mainstream media. Critics Roberta Smith and Peter Schjeldahl were among my officemates, as was the artist Scott Burton.
I learned more about good journalism and good writing from Betsy than I ever did at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She was a notoriously exacting (if exasperating) editor: I could never get away with any shortcuts, omissions or sloppy verbiage when she wielded the pencil. So I was compelled to be as meticulous in my research and writing as she was in her editing.
Betsy is intellectually brilliant, with a passion for contemporary culture. But she never sought the spotlight for herself, keeping a low public profile while devoting long hours to the excellence of her magazine.
When I recently saw AiA's publisher Peter Brant appearing on the Charlie Rose Show with his wife, model Stephanie Seymour, and Louis Vuitton's Marc Jacobs (where they talked about changes in another of Brant's publications, Interview), I could only wonder what might soon happen at AiA. I don't know if the recent change in regime at Brant Publications was a factor in Betsy's resignation, but it wouldn't surprise me."
...
"Betsy Baker, who has resigned her long-time position as editor, will be editor-at-large "in charge of special projects, which will include book publishing and website development." Website development? Betsy? If there is one aspect of AiA that probably needs some fresh, tech-savvy blood, I'd say it's website development.
As I previously reported, Marcia Vetrocq is the new editor, having begun contributing to the magazine in the early 1980s. She became senior editor in 1998. It's somewhat reassuring that they've promoted from within.
The press release additionally reveals:
Managing editor Richard Vine is assuming the new position, senior editor, Asia, in a further sign of the magazine's commitment to expanding world art-market coverage. Associate managing editor David Ebony will assume full managing editor responsibilities.
No wonder David avoided answering me when I ran into him recently and asked whether there were any changes afoot at the magazine related to the ownership and management shifts at Brant Publications. Fabien Baron and Glenn O'Brien, who were named editorial directors for Brant, will oversee its three publications (which also include Interview and The Magazine Antiques). Vetrocq will report to them.
And here's the bio of Betsy that I wished I had yesterday, when I first reported her resignation:
Trained in art history at Bryn Mawr and Harvard, Baker taught art history at Boston University and Wheaton College. She was managing editor at Art News [under Tom Hess] during much of the 1960s. She received the [College Art Association's Frank Jewett] Mather Award...for art criticism in 1973.
A redesign of AiA will debut with the November 2008 issue.
But the big question is: What's going to happen editorially? I'm disconcerted by the description of Vine's new position as a "sign of the magazine's commitment to expanding world art-market coverage." Art-market coverage? How about just plain art coverage?
What I do think AiA needs to do is to welcome a wider group of writers and to become more topical and timely, without sacrificing seriousness and scholarship. A significantly beefed-up web presence? Absolutely. Right now, the magazine's website is comatose. Of course, they should also run a blog!"
I, MSB, must add that I too always treasured working for Betsy. She was the reason that Art in America was so well-written while being "readerly" and as jargon and trendy-language-free as possible. We had discussed increased coverage for Chicago as well as the necessity of a truly fine and active website and blog. Let's hope that both become reality even without Betsy at the helm. Betsy thought highly of Marcia. I wish them both luck and success. I would love to see a far more "limber" Art in America, but also one that does not succumb to the current desease of superficiality and CC-pandering which has killed Modern Painters, and dominates many other publications.
Watch the videos:
http://www.sharkforum.org/2005/09/glenn-obriens-tv-party-trailer.html