This post was originally published on artnews.com
As New York City Mayor Eric Adams continues to face fallout after being indicted on charges of bribery, campaign finance, and more, a new report alleges that his administration sought a Brooklyn Museum show at the behest of one aide in charge of Chinese American community relations.
That aide, Winnie Greco, is herself under investigation, although she has not been accused of wrongdoing. She was brought on by the organization as a volunteer liaison and reportedly claimed in her 2021 taxes not to have received income, though a report published by the City on Thursday raised questions about her actual status with the administration, noting that though she was unpaid, she had an official email address.
The City report highlighted the various programs organized by Greco and seemed to compare her role to that of Linda Sun, the former aide to Governor Kathy Hochul who has been accused of being a Chinese agent. Sun has pleaded not guilty.
In 2016, Greco reportedly reached out to the Brooklyn Museum about the prospect of a China-themed show. According to the City, Greco was working with the Overseas Chinese History Museum of China, and she wanted an exhibition on Sun Yat-sen, a key leader in modern Chinese history whom Greco described as the “leader of China’s republican revolution.”
Greco had reportedly sought to hold the show in the Brooklyn Museum’s galleries for European art, but the museum said it could not do so on such short notice. Then Adams adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin reportedly stepped in, emailing the institution to “ensure that the museum was fully aware of Borough Hall’s interest in supporting the request, if it were possible.” In an email quoted by the City, Brooklyn Museum director reaffirmed that the institution could not mount an exhibition in a month.
Ultimately, the show did go on view, just not at the Brooklyn Museum or any other art institution. According to the City, it was instead mounted at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
A Brooklyn Museum representative did not respond to ARTnews’s request for comment.