Alexandra Peers thinks Jeffrey Deitch’s appointment is good for Sotheby’s:
Deitch didn’t just work there, he was a senior vice-president. In 1998, the auctioneer bought a half-interest in Deitch Projects and the right to act as the U.S. agent for artists he represented. So, though the deal was later unwound, Sotheby’s has both closer ties to Deitch and his artists than Christie’s. Why does that matter? Deitch will likely be selling some art as part of the process of separating from Deitch Projects, and may even sell some of MOCA’s. The museum has no history of deaccessioning work, but insiders at the museum and at auction houses say Deitch, as an ex-commercial gallerist, may be more likely to look to inventory (i.e., the permanent collection) to raise funds immediately.
