Morning Links: Madonna at MoMA Edition

Here’s a profile of the indefatigable Agnes Gund. [The New York Times]

Madonna was at MoMA to present a WSJ Innovator award to Lil Buck and wasn’t terribly pleased with her audience, telling them, “I’ll tell you when there are applause moments. You need help. This is a museum crowd.” [Page Six]

Here’s a profile of Xin Li, a Christie’s specialist who is helping auction house round up Asian collectors. [The Wall Street Journal]

Here’s a sneak peek of Bill Cosby’s rarely-seen collection, which goes on view Sunday in “Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue” at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. [The Washington Post]

The Palm Springs Art Museum is set to open the doors to its new Architecture and Design Center on Sunday. The center is part of an initiative to make elevate the museum to the national stage; this plan includes hiring a new executive director. The museum also seeks to increase its collection and its endowment, “securing $25 million in art contributions” and seeking $25 million in cash. “My goal has been to get our financial house in order, get the place to look better, get really good leadership — have us stand for something, whatever it is, but have us stand for something,” says Harold J. Meyerman, chairman of the board of trustees. [The Desert Sun]

Catherine Damman on Steve Paxton’s performances at Dia:Beacon. [Artforum]

Frick curator Denise Allen is joining the Met as curator of Renaissance sculpture and decorative arts, and the Guggenheim has hired Troy Conrad Therrien as curator of architecture and digital initiatives, a newly created position. [The New York Times]