The nightclub’s lobbyists, who have renewed a push for Muzik’s lease extension since May 2015, come in the form of high-profile lawyer and political fundraiser Ralph Lean (currently the Chair of Muzik), and former mayoral candidate Joe Pantalone. Both Lean and Pantalone were, at one point, chairs of Exhibition Place’s Board of Governors (Pantalone was the chair during the time when the board first leased the art to Muzik).
According to the artist’s daughter Kathy Sutton, Lean has suggested that the art will not be returned unless Muzik receives a 10-year lease extension. Sutton recounts a meeting with Lean at city hall last November: “I asked [Lean] if he would be willing to let the sculpture be moved as a goodwill gesture, but he just leaned back and said, ‘not going to happen.’ To me, that’s treating the art like it’s a pawn or hostage…[the art] belongs to the public realm, not trapped away in the nightclub to be used as a negotiating item for his lease.”
Neither Lean nor Pantalone could be reached for comment.
Starkovski and Sutton first arranged the meeting on an informal tour of Muzik that Starkovski gave Sutton. According to Sutton, they both agreed that a meeting must be called in order to address the sculpture situation, but, come meeting time, the owner was a no-show, and was represented by Lean and Muzik’s lawyer, Michael Binetti. At that point, Sutton says she realized what Muzik’s intentions were.
“I don’t see why the nightclub, like Ralph Lean and Zlatko Starkovski, don’t say ‘Ok fine, our clientele did not appreciate the sculptures. It should never have been here in the first place. Exhibition Place can pay for moving it and repair the patio afterwards.’ I don’t see why they won’t do that. But I guess the fact of the matter is they see it as a way of getting what they want.”
[...]
The Board of Governors will hold a meeting on February 22 to discuss Starkovski’s request for a lease extension, where Sutton is hoping there will be an opportunity to discuss reclaiming the Greek Gods. She adds that, despite her grievances towards Muzik, the crux of this problem lies within the 2004 Board’s decision to lease the art in the first place.