The Deaccessioning Blog is a project begun by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento to both analyze and archive the increasing institutional deaccessioning of modern and contemporary art.
Several cash-strapped local authorities are selling parts of their art collections to raise funds. Two valuable Picasso etchings are among almost 40 works of art being put up for auction by Bolton council, while in Tenterden in Kent [England], paintings are being sold to pay for new heating in the town hall.The Guardian interviews art critic Brian Sewell and Art Fund director Stephen Deuchar concerning deaccessioning policies and debates in England.
In England: To Sell or Not to Sell
New rules were approved on May 17, 2011, and went into effect on June 8, 2011. The rules are meant to provide museums with the discretion to refine their collections over time, while at the same time ensuring that museums’ collections are preserved for the public.
The new rules continue to make clear that proceeds from deaccessioning may never be used to pay operating expenses, and may only be used for “the acquisition of collections, or the preservation, conservation or direct care of collections.” However, the rules expand the circumstances in which deaccession can take place:
1. the item is inconsistent with the mission of the institution as set forth in its mission statement;
2. the item has failed to retain its identity;
3. the item is redundant;
4. the item’s preservation and conservation needs are beyond the capacity of the institution to provide;
5. the item is deaccessioned to accomplish refinement of collections;
6. it has been established that the item is inauthentic;
7. the institution is repatriating the item or returning the item to its rightful owner;
8. the institution is returning the item to the donor, or the donor’s heirs or assigns, to fulfill donor restrictions relating to the item which the institution is no longer able to meet;
9. the item presents a hazard to people or other collection items; and/or
10. the item has been lost or stolen and has not been recovered.
In another significant change, the new rules require that each institution shall include in its annual report to the State Education Commissioner a list of all deaccessions in the prior year.
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