Deaccessioning @ Christie’s

Mexican newspaper La Jornada reported today that a painting by Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo that was expected to be sold at a Christie’s auction was pulled from the sale Monday after a court ruling.

The Virginia Supreme Court upheld the lower circuit court’s decision granting an injunction against Randolph College. The injunction stated that Randolph College can’t auction off four paintings from its beloved art collection — at least not for six months. Those who sued the college to block the sale, including alumnae, students and parents, hailed the ruling as a victory.

“Trovador” (”Troubador”) was expected to fetch up to three million dollars at the Latin American art auction. According to La Jornada, the Maier Museum’s ex-director, Ellen Agnes, stated that “since the works were donated, it is unethical for them to be auctioned off for profit. Additionally, they possess major artistic and academic merit.”

Although we’ve noted this before, it brings to mind Michael Asher’s incisive critique from 1999 of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, for MoMA’s own group exhibition, The Museum as Muse: Artists Reflect. In his project, Publication listing deaccessions from the Painting and Sculpture Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1929-1998, Asher had MoMA list all the works deaccessioned by the museum during its history, including some very embarrassing deaccessions. In order to obtain this booklet, the viewer had to approach the bookstore and request one from a cashier, many times sent away with explanations that the booklet was out of stock, when in fact many of the booklets were stored by the museum.

Tags: deaccession, Deaccessioning