Today's New York Times has an article about the AAM's recently adopted
ethical guidelines for museum exhibitions of borrowed art.  In effect,
the guidelines are the result of and a means to prevent a recurrence
of the "Sensation"` exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.  

Sensation was a blatant attempt to gain museum endorsement of
privately held art to enhance its value.  The museum erred in
accepting major  funding from the owner, and keeping it secrete and,
more seriously, allowing the owner to effectively take control of the
content of the exhibit.

At the time, I was saddened by the near solid lock step criticism,
reflected in MUSEUM-L posts, of Mayor Giuliani  who condemned the
show.  I thought then it was more a measure of writers' political
leanings than of professionals defending their turf.  AAM's action is
a good step in the direction of clearing the air, and perhaps it
should be a basis for this list to reflect on the issue.

John Bing
Laguna Art Museum

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