This article popped out at me right away when I read it. It's about how whether or not selling an art collection that was given to Fisk University by Georgia O'Keeffe here in Nashville would save the school from closing. The art is worth $75 million dollars all together and the school is trying to sell the artwork. Many don't think it is right to sell the art let alone take it from the south so both the Georgia O'Keeffe estate and the state of Tennessee have filed for them not to be sold. I agree that it's on the brink of closing. I don't agree on the sale of the art that Frisk wants to do and I think in time, the school unfortunately will close unless they find a better way to fund the school. The author's thesis is that the school is on the brink of closing. The art collection donated by Georgia O'Keeffe is a point of joy for many as well as being somewhat of a problem for the school. It is hard for the school to keep up the school and collection along with other collections within the school and yet for many it is a part of the south's history that needs to stay here. The author goes onto then talk about how there have been many court cases involved with the situation including the current one in which the school wants to sell the art "half-share" to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentoville, Ark where it would rotate between the school and the museum for $30 million dollars. The state of Tennessee has been given until September 8th to find a way to keep the art here in Nashville while Fisk has until October 8th to come up with a contract with the museum to works better with what Georgia O'Keeffe wanted done with the art. There is a lot about dispute in this article and many times there is dispute about a meaning behind a piece of art or over whether the art is worth a certain amount of money.
Putting the art on loan at least for a temporary time, could help benefit the Fisk so that it could stay open and one day the art could return. If the Fisk closes then the art will not be there anymore, and probably be sold. Yes I think the art should stay in its "hometown" but for that to happen they would need an extension or a buyer. Because in the end it may not be here either way.
ReplyDeleteThe art should stay local, yes, but it doesn't need to stay at the university, no one really knows it's there! The article itself said that it is visited by fewer that seven people a day, I think. If it was put on loan or sold locally, it could stand a chance of being a more well known asset to Nashville. I think the issue has been overcomplicated and politicized.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to solve the problem would to be put the art on loan; that way both sides should be pacified. But whether or not that will happen remains to be seen. This issue has really gotten out of hand, and I just hope that it doesn't end badly for Fisk.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I wrote about! It first infuriated me to learn about Fisk want to sell the collection, but not my temper has calmed and I realize that if the school closes then no one would enjoy the collection. I agree in that putting the art work on loan as a means of creating some cash flow for the school would be a good way to start, because the school does have other great art work for us to appreciate as well, it’s just not that well publicized.
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