This seems to make it less of a conflict if it is one at all.  Since the
Curator is not the artist, then it may not be a problem.  Having said
this, the dealer may find this traveling show a boon to his business
when he is using artworks he is currently trying to sell.  I am not an
expert in this area, but it seems to me that if the artwork in question
is quite good, and fits the scope and mission of the museum venues where
it will exhibit, there ought to be a way to exhibit this art so many
more people can see and enjoy it.  A well-worded contract would be a
good idea in terms of stating exactly what the exhibit purpose is for
both parties with limitations on what the dealer can expect in terms of
monetary gain or publicity.  Why is the dealer interested?  To pump up
his gallery? To exhibit fine art for arts sake?  Maybe a little of both?
I don't want to cast aspersions on the art dealer, but everyone should
be in agreement on why this potential traveling show is such a great
idea and what the results should be overall.
Arlyn Danielson

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Hapgood [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 1:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: conflict of interest?

Actually, I wasn't as clear as I should have been in my first message.
The
artist acting as a curator would not include his own work at all; and we
often work with artists acting as curators in this way. The issue I am
specifically asking about it is about the dealer.
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
Susan Hapgood
Director of Exhibitions
Independent Curators International
799 Broadway, Suite 205
New York, New York  10003
Phone 212-254-8200 X23
Fax   212-477-4781
_____________________________________

> From: Arlyn Danielson <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 12:55:06 -0500
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: conflict of interest?
>
> This could be a conflict of interest.  If you showcase the artist's
work
> at various venues, perhaps this artist could use that show to benefit
> financially on his work by saying that his work is now so good that it
> is seen in several museums around the country and therefore is now
worth
> more.  On the other hand, perhaps it wouldn't matter.  A lot depends
on
> who mostly buys this person's art. If it is just the public at large,
> maybe it would not matter, but if other museums are interested,
perhaps
> this could be unfair advantage for this artist and dealer.  Not
knowing
> any other details, this seems to me a tricky situation.  I am curious
> what other museum professionals have to say about it.
> Arlyn Danielson
> Newseum
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Susan Hapgood [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 10:14 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: conflict of interest?
>
> We have a dilemma -- an artist and dealer have proposed a fabulous
> traveling exhibition idea, but it would be a museum exhibition. Is the
> dealer acting as curator such an obvious conflict of interest that we
> should not even entertain the prospect? We have suggested that the
> artist work with someone else, but the artist very badly wants to work
> with only this one person, who is quite knowledgable on the subject,
> which does fall into the purview of the dealer's gallery program too.
>
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