Does the foreground crowd carry this frame or choke it?

I’m interested in how much visual blockage a photograph can carry before it stops feeling layered and starts feeling cluttered.

Here the foreground heads are dark and heavy, but they also place the viewer inside the crowd rather than outside the scene.

The black and white edit flattens the museum space a little, which may help connect the painted figures, the guide, and the visitors.

Would you crop or lift the foreground, or does the weight at the bottom make the image work?