Features

The Genius Collector

MacBain receives the scientists in her penthouse; today, Lisa Randall, a Harvard star in theoretical physics, comes by. Randall pioneered “braneworld scenarios,” the idea that our four-dimensional space-time is embedded in an eleven-dimensional bulkhead. “In particular, my focus has been that there could be extra dimensions that we don’t see,” says Randall.

MacBain leans forward. “What is your vision?” she asks. “What do you feel?”

“Well, I think we’re going to discover something great, an extension of space-time symmetry or an extra dimension of space,” says Randall.

“But what does that mean to us?”

“Well,” says Randall, pondering this. “We’ll understand the universe better.”

“But what will it bring to our lives?”

Randall stays quiet.

MacBain puts down her tea with the barest clatter. “Do you know how we can post the Creative Leadership summit to the Harvard Website?” she asks, perking up. “I mean, the summit should be there, for the benefit of the student masses at Harvard.”

“I don’t think we can do that if the conference was not associated with Harvard,” says Randall.

“What?” says MacBain. “That’s like saying don’t let the students read any books—just let them hear the professors talking!” She looks to her assistant. “I’ll speak to the president of Harvard.” She looks back at Randall, and then, grandly: “And how is he?”

“He’s fine,” says Randall. “I think.” Then she backs out of the apartment.

After this, MacBain flew back to London on her private plane, then she returned to make another important speech. She fired a few more people at LTB Media and signed a letter of intent to buy the armory show for about $10 million, although she and the sellers then began to squabble. (MacBain will not comment on this.) Then she went off to address the United Nations. “All the pieces are moving so fast today, and I must help build a bridge,” she told me. I asked if she was a supporter or critic of the U.N. “I never judge others,” she said, curtly. “Only God judges. I am not for that.”

Speaking after the former president of Finland and actress Julia Ormond, she stood there looking beautiful, as usual. “A new generation of children has grown with entirely new stimuli from the Internet, yet we know so little about the effect of this new world on the brain,” she said. “Terrorists use the Internet like caves, hiding in uncharted locations. We can swap recipes for bombs as easily as recipes for cakes. So although we so rightly celebrate the breakthroughs of our age, we must ask ourselves a question: Are we Googling while Rome burns?”

The audience looked on in rapt attention, and confusion.