Although it accounts for less than 10 percent of the total display, it's a major reason for the museum's considerable international reputation. As you go through the refurbished wing, now bright and sleek in a way that enhances the art, you keep running into things that Gallatin and the Arensbergs owned, especially in the Duchamp, Brancusi and Picasso galleries, all of which are strong focal points. The refurbishment, designed by New York architect Richard Gluckman, isn't radical or structural. The wing looks pretty much as it did before, and it's still 20,000 square feet. It couldn't be made larger.
Modern art needs a clean, well-lighted space.
It has one here. The upgraded lighting is partially responsible. The walls themselves, all repainted a bright white, are now clean down to the floor - no more protrusions, vents or fixtures to compromise the hanging of large paintings. The concrete floors, smooth as marble, have been stripped of their industrial-gray paint. However, the renovation doesn't solve the museum's most pressing need regarding modern and contemporary art - more space.