It all depends on the nature of the museum, the nature of the exhibit
and the nature of the sale.

Typically museums should not be placed in the position where it seems as
if it is colluding to manipulate the fair market value of what it
exhibits and profit from the sale.  For example, a prominent museum
works with a dealer to show the work of a relatively unknown artist, and
requests a 5% commission on sales of that artist's work made for a
specific period after the close of the exhibition. The artist becomes
popular and his prices instantly triple.  The dealer and the museum have
both benefited financially.  It appears as if the museum lent its name
to manipulate the market for this artist's work.

Also, museums should not seem to be selecting what it exhibits based on
the potential financial gain.  The choice of exhibitions should be based
on a clear public benefit from presenting the artwork.  To choose artist
A over artist B because artist A's work could sell better and make more
money for the museum would flout the stated mission of most museums.

Having said that, I need to say that I used to work for a private
nonprofit art center and our artist contracts specified a time period
and commission rate if a buyer purchases a piece based on its exposure
in a specific exhibition.  I think it was 35% commission for the first 3
months after the exhibition closed. Sales potential was sometimes a
consideration for selecting exhibitions, but in that case the realized
revenue from sales was directed towards a specific program, there was no
3-month post-exhibition commission period and the use of the revenue
raised was clearly expressed to the buyers.  

Julia Muney Moore
Public Art Administrator
Blackburn Architects, Indianapolis, IN
(317) 875-5500 x230
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Hailee Northern
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 1:47 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Exhibition ethics

A question was recently posed at an exhibition development meeting that
w
as
most disturbing.  If a painting has been sold due to its exposure in a
museum exhibition, shouldn't the museum profit from this in some way
such
 as
the gallery or artist buying a membership or other non-ethical means.  I
need to refute this idea and quick.  Can people please provide comments,
analogies or even better museums who have tried this... anecdotes.

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