Rose Blows: Protest Withdrawal by Three Artists from Brandeis Museum’s Fall Show

Rosenquist, who stepped into the breach, told Edgers that he opposes sales from the Rose's collection, but regards the other artists' withdrawal as "a knee-jerk reaction from them. I'm having a show there that will put a spotlight on the museum, and maybe they won't sell anything. I'd rather do that than be negative and pull out and let it dry up."

So who's right?

I applaud Viola, Fischl and Gornik for their principled stand, which may put a brighter spotlight on the university's stubborn insistence on keeping open the option of liquidating some or all of the collection to fund the financially challenged university's operations.

But I agree with Rosenquist. I don't think the trio's symbolic gesture will alter the university's stance. And punishing the museum and its audience (including its students) is to no one's advantage. It's important for the Rose to maintain its identity as a going concern and a vital educational resource.

Then again, an astute commenter on Edgers' article also has a point worth taking:

The best thing the Rose can do is keep as much of its permanent collection on the walls (as it was this past year). This way, everyone can see what an unparalleled resource has been put in jeopardy....

The display of billboard-sized canvases will consign much of the collection to storage, as was typically the case in recent years, when the exhibition galleries were mostly given over to cutting-edge installations. These generated art world buzz, but also served to make the collection appear accessory, expendable and disposable---divorced from the life of the university, an asset to be sold or leased.

Like any museum, the Rose should find a way to do both---temporary exhibitions, complemented by selections from the its own important holdings. The Rosenquist show, opening in late September (no specific date announced), may do just that: Its description states that it will include both works supplied by the artist and additional Rosenquists, "drawn from the Rose's collection."