Sunday, August 14, 2011

Essay: Deaccessioning: A Policy Perspective

Chris Burgess and Rachel Shane have just published Deaccessioning: A Policy Perspective, via The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society. The essay is available for purchase here. Here's the abstract:
The concept of removing artwork from a museum's collection (deaccessioning) has been the topic of much discussion and debate over the last several years. However, the conversation has mostly focused on the ethics of deaccessioning. Notably, the primary professional associations governing museums position their policies on deaccessioning within their ethical standards. Yet little has been studied on the history and motivation of the development of such policy. Through the tracing of deaccessioning history and public debates, this research examines the practice of deaccessioning from a policy perspective. Through the examination of the actions at national, state, local, and institutional levels, this study considers the history and future of deaccessioning policy.




Share/Save/Bookmark