L.A. Museums' Collections Grow Despite Poor Economy

And despite the gloom that descended last fall, 2008 turned out to be a surprisingly good year for local collection growing.

At the Museum of Contemporary Art, the grim economy compounds a long-festering financial debacle that led to the recent departure of Director Jeremy Strick. Still, the collection grew by 141 works, including 50 pieces donated by New York collectors Dorothy and Herbert Vogel, sculptures by Lynda Benglis and Hans Haacke, mixed-media constructions by Mike Kelley, a painting by Peter Saul and a conceptual installation by Lawrence Weiner.