ARTS

Bernstein Comments on NEA: Leonard Bernstein has broken his silence about his protest of the National Endowment for the Arts’ cancellation of a $10,000 grant to a controversial New York City gallery exhibit on AIDS. Last week, Bernstein refused the prestigious National Medal of the Arts given by President Bush. In a brief note Friday, Bernstein said: “Dear Conservatives: What are you conserving? Democracy and human freedom, I should hope. A catalogue is not, nor need be, a work of art. . . . “ Bernstein’s note also apologized to Mrs. Bush for accepting--then declining--a White House lunch. His catalogue comment was an apparent reference to the fact that NEA Chairman John E. Frohnmayer had based his cancellation of the grant on a review of the show’s catalogue, saying the exhibition had become “political rather than artistic in nature.” Thursday, Frohnmayer reversed his decision and restored the grant after he toured the exhibition at Artists Space in the wake of heated criticism of his initial decision from the arts community. Bernstein’s award was not reinstated. The late Vladimir Horowitz was cited instead.