Art Market Monitor

Global Coverage ~ Unique Analysis

  • AMMpro
  • AMM Fantasy Collecting Game
  • Podcast
  • Contact Us

Still Museum De-Accessions $25m Worth of Art Before It Officially Acquires It

March 30, 2011 by Marion Maneker

It seemed like the worst of the deaccessioning debates had passed when this bizarre example from the Clyfford Still museum came up recently in The Art Newspaper. Still was a notoriously prickly artist which is one reason his estate contains the bulk of his artistic output. In keeping with his strict views, the new museum to be built in Denver will have no distracting cafe or auditorium. But in an apt irony, the project has had to sell 4 works before the museum officially acquires them to pay for the cost of building home for the collection and establishing an endowment.

In other words, without a transaction that turns some of the art into capital, the artist’s wishes would be impossible to carry out. It should also be added that without the backing of substantial collectors of Still’s work, there’s no one to provide the money that must now come from the sale of the estate’s four works.

The Art Newspaper offers this striking catalogue:

The Patricia Still Estate donated 400 works to Denver in 2005 following a gift the year before of 2,000 works from the Clyfford Still Estate: roughly 96% of the abstract expressionist’s work. The gifts came with the condition that Denver build a museum by 2014 to house them.

Denver Can Sell Works from the Still Estate (The Art Newspaper)

More from Art Market Monitor

  • Waldemar Januszczak Takes You Through the Royal Academy’s Abstract Expressionism ShowWaldemar Januszczak Takes You Through the Royal Academy’s Abstract Expressionism Show
  • Phillips Announces $12-18m Clyfford Still for NovemberPhillips Announces $12-18m Clyfford Still for November
  • Di Donna Opens Gallery with an Abstract BangDi Donna Opens Gallery with an Abstract Bang
  • Sotheby’s Clyfford Still Paintings Revealed and EstimatedSotheby’s Clyfford Still Paintings Revealed and Estimated
  • Sotheby’s $20 M. Lichtenstein Reveals Participation in Late June New York Auction WeekSotheby’s $20 M. Lichtenstein Reveals Participation in Late June New York Auction Week
  • Christie's Prints & Multiples Highlights (NY Muly, 2010)Christie's Prints & Multiples Highlights (NY Muly, 2010)

Filed Under: Artists Tagged With: Clyfford Still

About Marion Maneker

LiveArt

Want to get Art Market Monitor‘s posts sent to you in our email? Sign up below by clicking on the Subscribe button.

  • About Us/ Contact
  • Podcast
  • AMMpro
  • Newsletter
  • FAQ

twitterfacebooksoundcloud
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
California Privacy Rights
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Advertise on Art Market Monitor