Deaccession Wars Rage On For American Museums
“Deaccessioning” – that is, selling off artwork for any purpose other than to acquire more artwork – is the “cardinal sin” of the museum world.
Before the pandemic, this was official policy of The Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), the professional group that “… serves as the industry’s referee and moral watchdog.” For the last decade or so, the AAMD has enforced this proscription from time to time with a heavy…