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Showing a courage and candor that’s been in short supply among museum officials who are navigating the choppy waters of racial tensions, political unrest and economic difficulty, Salvador Salort-Pons, director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, has publicly engaged with the issues raised in a Change.org petition calling for his removal. In their petition, DIA Staff Action—a … [Read more...] about Salort-Pons’ Response: Detroit Institute’s Director Tussles with Anonymous Detractors

Part I is here. We interrupt our two-part interview with Salvador Salort-Pons, the Detroit Institute of Arts' new director (effective Oct. 15) to bring a news bulletin regarding his predecessor, Graham Beal: Michigan State University announced last week that Beal will remain in-state for this academic year, as MSU's visiting Hannah Distinguished Professor, "the most … [Read more...] about Rethinking Displays: My Q&A with Salort-Pons, Detroit Institute’s New Director—Part II

Part II is here. In an appointment reminiscent of the Art Institute of Chicago's elevation to its directorship of Douglas Druick and the Metropolitan Museum's appointment of Tom Campbell to its top spot, the Detroit Institute of Arts today named an inside candidate with solid art credentials, Salvador Salort-Pons, 45, to become its 11th director, effective Oct. 15. He succeeds … [Read more...] about $600-Million Endowment?!? My Q&A with Salort-Pons, Detroit Institute’s New Director—Part I

It was an open secret that the most heroic, steadfast and principled art museum director I've ever met, the Detroit Institute of Arts' Graham W.J. Beal, was likely to retire when his contract expired June 30. He will have stayed the often difficult but rewarding course for almost 16 years. Clearly Mark Stryker of the Detroit Free Press knew Beal was soon to leave: Like … [Read more...] about News Flash: Graham W.J. Beal, Detroit Institute of Arts’ Director, To Retire (“Quite a Ride”)

In the Detroit Institute of Arts' recent ordeal, there's a sweeping, important takeaway for the entire museum field that went unmentioned in my Wall Street Journal article last week on the broader significance of that museum's expensive, protracted legal battle to protect the integrity of its collection. The legal proceedings (which, fortunately, went the DIA's way) … [Read more...] about From Detroit to Delaware: Why We Need Government Deaccession Regulations

For the long beleaguered Detroit Institute of Arts, there's been a happy ending, fittingly celebrated at the museum's gala, which by happenstance occurred the day after Judge Steven Rhodes' favorable ruling. But unless they take preemptive action, other museums with city-owned collections might not be so lucky, as I discuss in After Detroit's Close Call, my article on the … [Read more...] about What Happened in Detroit Stays in Detroit? My Wall Street Journal Takeaway on Detroit Institute’s Ordeal

The excerpts from Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes' opinion, issued yesterday, regarding the rescue of the Detroit Institute of Arts' (DIA's) collection via the Grand Bargain are worth reading in full, especially for these sentences that explicitly back the professional standards promulgated by art museums regarding deaccessions and that underscore the importance of the museum … [Read more...] about “Invaluable Beacon”: What Judge Rhodes Said About Detroit Institute of Arts

As reported this week by the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, politicians are again seeking to score cheap points by positioning themselves as defenders taxpayers' interests in questioning the entirely reasonable compensation of Graham Beal, the Detroit Institute of Arts' esteemed long-time director. While this is not the first time this has happened (see here and here), … [Read more...] about Detroit Detritus: Institute of Arts Responds to Cheap Shots Against Graham Beal’s Compensation

There was a lot of self-congratulation at this morning's buoyant press conference, where the Detroit Institute of Arts and Mayor Mike Duggan announced that the museum has now raised almost 80% of the $100 million it has committed towards the $816-million Grand Bargain that is intended to prevent monetization of the museum's art to help pay Detroit's creditors. Nine new … [Read more...] about Grand Bargain vs. Tawdry Fire Sale: Detroit Institute of Arts’ Progress on the Former, Caveats on Latter

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) was not providing any advance details regarding its "major Grand Bargain announcement," planned for later this morning. After getting a heads-up from the museum on Friday about the planned announcement, I assumed it might have something to do with fundraising successes. At least some (if not all) of the news was leaked early to Detroit … [Read more...] about Detroit Exploits: Today’s Grand Bargain Announcement (plus Detroit Institute’s more aggressive legal stance)

I'm juggling three stories of major interest, but can't do justice to all of them at once: ---The Corcoran Gallery's likely dismemberment, for which that Washington, DC, institution on Saturday issued a detailed list of FAQs, answering some important questions but raising others. ---The raucous surprise protest demonstration Saturday evening inside the Guggenheim Museum, … [Read more...] about Emergency Manager Favors Detroit Institute’s “Grand Bargain” (plus: more controversies)

In an off-base article that purports to report on the objections of "critics" regarding the Detroit Institute of Arts' handling of executive compensation, Robert Snell of the Detroit News quotes only one such critic---Republican state Rep. Kurt Heise. The state legislator fumes that “at a time when we are asking for so much from people in Detroit---pensioners, firefighters … [Read more...] about Detroit Detritus: Critics of Detroit Institute’s “Grand Bargain” Dig for Dirt (and unearth some)

Following close upon the news that the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, has pledged $40 million towards the Grand Bargain, the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) has now agreed itself to raise $100 million as part of the campaign to purchase its independence from the City of Detroit and protect its collection from sales to pay the municipality's creditors. Here's the … [Read more...] about Pieces of Puzzle to Secure Detroit Institute’s Independence Fall Into Place

More good news today for the Detroit Institute of Arts. Here's the museum's reaction to this afternoon's expected announcement by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (joined by the state's House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader---all Republicans) of a plan to provide up to $350 million over 20 years to protect the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts from monetization and to … [Read more...] about Detroit Institute’s Good-News Day: Governor, Key Legislators Endorse Art-Rescue Funds (with video)