MUSEUM ETHICS

The ethics of authenticity is crucial to museums
when museums claim to research authoritatively the
objects they exhibit.  On the one hand, while most
museums do make extensive claims regarding the
quality of the research underlying their exhibits,
only one person spoke sincerely and directly to
the serious ethical question raised here last week
about fraudulent attribution.

On the other hand, Bruce C. Craig of the Center for
Museum Studies of the Smithsonian Institution,
quoted Oscar Wilde maligning all artists as having
no ethical sympathies.

I am an artist working in the field of Contemporary
American Craft.   <http://bulbach.home.mindspring.com>
And when I have left inquiries on this board asking
where ethical issues regarding research by museums
can be explored openly and constructively, I have
found no response.

Professional research requires specific safeguards,
protocols, and a belief that professional ethics
are essential.  Since museum research on contemporary
weaving is subject to distortion, I have attempted
to ascertain what exactly are the research protocols
and safeguards used by museums.  During the past
two decades, when I have inquired, no museum or
museum organization answers.

The Smithsonian Institution, itself, has been the
least forthcoming on this issue of professional ethics.
Not even my Congressman has been able to secure
clarification from the Smithsonian yet as to what
research safeguards and protocols it might use in
its publicly funded professional research in my field.

This professional bulletin board has permitted
artists to be mischaracterized as having no ethical
sympathies.  Can this same professional bulletin
board now tell us artists where museum professionals
express and debate their ethical sympathies, so
that an artist might engage your profession in
an open and constructive dialogue on serious
questions about protocols and safeguards in
current museum research?

Stanley Bulbach, Ph.D.
[log in to unmask]
_____________________________________________
Bruce C. Craig wrote:
>
> No artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an
> unpardonable mannerism of style.
>
> Oscar Wilde -  The Picture of Dorian Gray
>
> Bruce C. Craig              Internet:  [log in to unmask]
> Center for Museum Studies   Smithsonian Institution
> A&I 2235-MRC427             Washington, DC  20560
> (202) 357-3148              FAX:(202) 357-3346

____________________________________________
Koto wrote:
>
>Subject:  Should there be ethics in art?
>Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 09:27:35 +0000
>From:  Koko <[log in to unmask]>
>Organization:  World Arts Association --
>http://www.artspeak.com
>Newsgroups:  bit.listserv.museum-l
>
>
>ETHICS IN ART
>
>You are a friend of a very famous artist who secretly
>admits to you that
>the one of their most famous works was in fact
>created by a visitor to their studio.  That by mistake >it was sent out
>to the gallery and later sold to a museum.
>As his friend do you keep the secret, or do you expose >the work as a
>fraud?  Revealing what you know may result in endless >lawsuits and deep
>embarrassment on all sides.

>Is the authenticity of a work important in
>our society anymore?


>Koko
>World Arts Association
>http://www.artspeak.com


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