from Modern Art Notes
Museum Ethics
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In a climate of increasing pressure on museums in securing funding avenues, it could lead to actions which might tether in between that grey area of unconventional idea and outright unethical.

The particular instance being highlighted involve a set of "popular" paintings - 21 Impressionist paintings by Claude Monet belonging to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts - which went on loan (or "rental", as some would see it) to a private gallery in Las Vegas in return for a purported fee of US$ 1 million.

As the private gallery was not an accredited museum or gallery, concerns were raised when there was a subsequent city-wide power failure lasting for up to 3-days. The display conditions became less than optimal and risk of damage was significantly increased. In spite of assurances being put out by the private gallery and the museum on the condition of the artworks, questions remained on the wisdom and even professional ethics behind such a loan, which appeared to be motivated by commercial gains to a large extent.