Even with the judge's final ruling on the Berkshire Museum’s deaccessioning case released last week, discussions of ethics, compromise, and stewardship are still swirling. Martin Gammon, President of Pergamon Art Group, will take trustees on a deep dive into the topic at MTA’s Friday Forum later this month.
Much of the deaccessioning debate has been fueled by precedents – cases of deaccessioning that were successes or failures - and the history of smart moves or missteps on the part of trustees.
Gammon’s new book, Deaccessioning and Its Discontents, is a critical history of collections deaccessioning by museums. Read on for a few excerpts from Gammon’s book that share a few of the precedents for the Berkshire Museum case.
The now defunct Finch College’s decision to auction their collection in order to cover operating costs and financial obligations: read more.
The George F. Harding Museum’s art sales and the attorney general’s response: read more.
The Heye Foundation’s struggles with self-dealing, trustee discounts, and the attorney general: read more. Some of the items in question were eventually returned to the Foundation and later joined the Smithsonian’s collection at the Museum of the American Indian.
Brandeis University’s Rose Art Museum and the shifting curatorial rationale for instances of deaccessioning: read more.
MTA’s Friday Forum will take place at the Mingei International Museum on Friday, April 27th. Spots are still available – register today.
Much of the deaccessioning debate has been fueled by precedents – cases of deaccessioning that were successes or failures - and the history of smart moves or missteps on the part of trustees.
Gammon’s new book, Deaccessioning and Its Discontents, is a critical history of collections deaccessioning by museums. Read on for a few excerpts from Gammon’s book that share a few of the precedents for the Berkshire Museum case.
The now defunct Finch College’s decision to auction their collection in order to cover operating costs and financial obligations: read more.
The George F. Harding Museum’s art sales and the attorney general’s response: read more.
The Heye Foundation’s struggles with self-dealing, trustee discounts, and the attorney general: read more. Some of the items in question were eventually returned to the Foundation and later joined the Smithsonian’s collection at the Museum of the American Indian.
Brandeis University’s Rose Art Museum and the shifting curatorial rationale for instances of deaccessioning: read more.
MTA’s Friday Forum will take place at the Mingei International Museum on Friday, April 27th. Spots are still available – register today.
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