Monday, July 15, 2013

"It is a betrayal of trust toward the public to which the Foundation is beholden"

Dia's founders continue to violate the rules of deaccession debate.  Somebody forgot to tell them that it's only a violation of the public trust when a museum sells work and fails to use the proceeds to buy other work.  When the sales proceeds are used for acquisitions -- as they will be here -- then it's totally normal, it shouldn't be a touchy subject at all.

Or do you mean to tell me that even works that are sold to buy more work are held in the public trust?  No way!!

Or that the sale of those works might discourage future donations just as surely as sales where the proceeds are used for other things?  Get out of town!!

That's crazy talk!  I mean, it's perfectly obvious that works sold to buy other work are not held in the public trust, and works sold for other reasons are held in the public trust.

Isn't it?