museummuseumVIEWSVIEWS A quarterly newsletter for small and mid-sized art museums New Year 2008 THE UPS AND DOWNS OF DEACCESSIONING A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION THE DEFENSE NOT FOR $ALE While the events of October 1 attracted In response, my colleagues—the museum’s by Karol Lawson national, even international, attention and caused associate director and professors from the Art an uproar in the museum community, it should Department—and I launched an education cam- little before 5 p.m. on October 1, 2007, A be noted that the issue of selling art from the paign to better inform trustees and college lead- John Klein, the president of Randolph College (formerly Randolph-Macon Woman’s College) in Maier’s permanent collection had been a subject ers about the basic expectations of the museum Lynchburg, Virginia, arrived unannounced at the of discussion among Randolph College’s trustees community toward the issue of permanency and school’s Maier Museum of Art. He had just taken and senior staff since at least the spring of 2005. respect for donor intent. Indeed, the Maier’s own office in August, and was there to carry out Indeed, the trustees’ interest in the topic pre- collection management and ethics policies, instructions from the college’s board of trustees dated by more than a year and a half the 2006 approved by senior administrators just a few to remove four paintings from the museum’s gal- warning regarding college finances from SACS. years before, dictated that the museum staff and leries and storage: George Bellows’ Men of the In a message delivered by the dean of the college its advisers (among them the dean and the col- Docks, Edward Hicks’ to me in April 2005, the school’s strategic plan- lege president) be guided by the best practices Peaceable Kingdom, ning steering committee, a guidelines of the American Association of Ernest Martin Hennings’ body comprising trustees, Museums and its affiliated societies. In addition, Through the Arroyo, and senior administrators, profes- we sought to reinforce in their minds the remark- Rufino Tamayo’s sors, and students, had able history of the art collection, which was Troubadour. He was requested that I obtain fair emblematic of the school’s well-deserved reputa- accompanied by a coterie market value appraisals of tion for high standards and student achievement. of administrative staff, “the most significant” works The provenance of Men of the Docks, the master- personnel from a fine art in the collection. piece most at risk, was enunciated by museum shipping company, and Administrators and staff, docents, and professors whenever possible city police officers. At trustees suggested repeatedly and provided an inspiring back story for our edu- the time, I was the muse- that this was merely a fact- cational efforts: selected in 1920 by students and um’s director. As such, I finding exercise; that it was faculty from the 9th annual exhibition of con- refused to assist Klein necessary for them to assess temporary art on campus, it was bought directly but chose not to abandon the building. I learned all the college’s financial options as they from Bellows with contributions from students, later that telephone and computer lines had been explored strategic planning scenarios. Yet, my faculty, alumnae, and Lynchburg townspeople, disabled for the duration of the event and that the colleagues and I feared the worst. and became the cornerstone of Continued on page 4 museum’s driveway had been closed. The trustees had voted that day to sell the four paintings from the Maier’s permanent col- lection at Christie’s November auctions. In doing SYMPOSIUM SEEKS EVOLUTIONARY ANSWERS so, they sought to obtain an infusion of cash for means of flaunting one’s talented palette of the school’s operating endowment. Though that Natalie Angier, reporting for The New genes.” Maybe in contemporary Western cul- endowment is reported to be $153 million, the York Times, attended a symposium at the ture that theory could fly, says Dissanayake. school’s financial affairs had been under scrutiny University of Michigan on the evolutionary But in traditional cultures and throughout most from the Southern Association of Colleges and value of art, and why humans spend so much of human history “art has been a profoundly Schools (SACS) since December 2006 because time at it. communal affair, of harvest dances, religious of an unacceptably high spending rate from the The main speaker, Ellen Dissanayake, an pageants, quilting bees, the passionate town endowment and other issues having to do with independent scholar affiliated with the rivalries that gave us the spires of Chartres, financial management. University of Washington in Seattle, presented Rheims, and Amiens.” Alumnae, Lynchburg citizens, museum her thesis of the evolution of art: that the artis- Art, says Dissanayake and others, “did not professionals, and academics from across the tic impulse is so ingrained, so ancient, univer- arise to spotlight the few, but rather to summon country immediately protested the action, and sal, and persistent that it is most surely innate. the many to come join the parade.” Through an injunction halting the sales was eventually In contrast, some researchers believe that the singing, dancing, painting, people can be drawn secured (it will expire February 15, 2008 unless human penchant for “artiness” came accidental- the outstanding balance on a $1 million bond is ly, as a “byproduct of large brains that evolved Continued on back page posted in Lynchburg Circuit Court). I resigned to solve problems and were easily bored.” my position as director of the Maier on October Dissanayake, on the other hand, argues 2, 2007, less than 24 hours after the paintings that the creative drive in humans has all were taken. Associate director Ellen Schall the characteristics of an adaptation on its Agnew and Associate Professor of Art Laura own. Art making, she opines, takes huge Katzman had resigned, in August 2007 and May amounts of time and resources that are 2007 respectively, over the trustees’ evolving consistent with evolution rather than acci- plans to sell art from the permanent collection. dent. It also gives pleasure, “and activities that feel good tend to be those that evolution Top: Rabbett Before Horses, Nanaboozho & Winoah. Oil on can- vas. In “From Dreams May We Learn,”Tweed Museum of Art, MN deems too important to leave to chance.” Middle: The Maier Museum facade. Geoffrey Miller, among other theorists, Right: Lydia Herrick Hodge. Bull, c. 1941. Ceramic. proposes that art serves as a sexual display, “a In “The Living Room,” Museum of Contemporary Craft, OR ART MUSEUM PARTNERSHIP HOLDS DIRECTORS’ FORUM mation-gathering exercise. Also explain the In late October, the Art Museum difference between individual and institutional LEADERSHIP & Partnership held its second annual Directors’ ethics. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Forum in New York, gathering directors from 3. Have each participant prepare a summary of Make sure everyone is clear about who around the country to hear their colleagues and institutional ethics related to their own functions is doing what various specialists lend their expertise on a selec- at the museum (profession-specific codes enunci- The board knows it is governing tion of topics pertinent to directing and maintain- ated by the profession’s official organization). The director knows she is directing (and the ing museums. “Systems Thinking,” “Curatorial Collect internal documents relating to ethics board knows it too) Vision and the Art Museum’s Mission,” standards (the mission statement or other values The staff know they are doing everything else “Everyday Ethics,” and “Current Top Legal statements). And have it in writing Issues” were among the topics covered in the 4. Bring the participants together to present their two-day session. summaries. Discuss them thoroughly, exploring COLLECTIONS STEWARDSHIP what issues have not been addressed. Know what stuff you have ETHICS 5. Make a list of the issues that should be Know what stuff you need included in the code of ethics. Compare it with Know where it is A “Code of Ethics Exercise” was present- the existing or draft code. Record what it does Take good care of it ed on day two to help museums and their staffs not deal with and decide whether these issues Make sure someone gets some good out of it to identify ethics issues that should be addressed should be included. Especially people you care about in an institutional code. The institutional code of And your neighbors ethics generally specifies how a museum—an organization—will behave in certain circum- CHARACTERISTICS OF EDUCATION & INTERPRETATION stances and it also describes appropriate behavior EXELLENCE FOR U.S. Know who you are talking to for members of the staff, the governing authority, Ask them what they want to know and volunteers. For example: Should board mem- MUSEUMS– Know what you want to say bers or staff who are artists be able to exhibit IN PLAIN ENGLISH (and what you are talking about) work in the museum? Are board members who [For official “Characteristics” see AAM Use appropriate language (or images, or music) serve on boards of other museums subject to Standards and Best Practices for U.S. Museums Make sure people understood you problems of loyalty and conflict of interest? Do at www.aam-us.org. This “Plain English” version And ask them if they liked it museums that display religious or culturally sen- was presented at the Directors’ Forum by If not, change it sitive materials need to develop special policies Elizabeth Merritt during a panel discussion.] regarding access and use of the collection? FINANCIAL STABILITY An exercise presented by the speakers Put your money where your mission is focused on two common challenges museums PUBLIC TRUST Is it enough money? encounter in writing an institutional code of &ACCOUNTABILITY Will it be there next year, too? ethics: Identifying what issues should be Be good Know when you will need more $ addressed and determining which ethical issues No really–not only be legal, Know where you are going to get it from are relevant to the museum’s particular mission.