Interview: On Deaccessioning with Richard Brodsky

An Art in America interview with New York Democratic assemblyman Richard Brodsky. In part, Brodsky's argument for his bill limiting and restricting museum deaccessioning practices goes like this:

I think there's greater and greater pressure from the bears counters on the integrity of collections. If we don't do this, there will be institutions that cannibalize their collections in order to stay open, and you'll end up with paintings being sold to keep the doors open, and eventually institutions with open doors and no paintings.

That's interesting if not completely absurd. I suppose Mr. Brodsky would rather have paintings sitting in open air and beneath falling rain due to a forced eviction. I'm not sure what the romantic and mystical attachment to the idea that arworks are not market commodities. Perhaps a lengthier and in-depth look into this is in order.

Interview: On Deaccessioning with Richard Brodsky