I call this an ad hoc manifesto. Mr. Cenedella handed out to reporters at the hearing. The artist calls it a proposed museum “disclaimer.”
I woke up in the morning a couple of days ago and this was one of the first article I read. At first I laughed thinking it was either some artist who had a great deal of self worth or a down on his luck lawyer looking for a quick settlement to make up for a late spousal support payment.
However, I woke up quick from my foggy reverie when I read that the honorable "…Judge John G. Koetl recommended that Robert Cenedella file an amended complaint that might better substantiate some of his claims regarding “elements of antitrust damages.” His due date of April 6th. He also added this gem: "…If a Rembrandt came on the market, is he represented by one of these galleries?” — Blam! (Personally, I do think Mr. Dead Rembrandt would represented by one of the galleries in question.
I wondered if this happens in LACMA here in Los Angeles? I did some snooping around on Google and I found only one "usual suspect" but no smoking gun.
From Bloomberg:
"… Robert Cenedella said private collectors, galleries and auction houses play a large role in determining which works end up in museum collections, creating a system that drives up prices for a small group of select artists while shutting out others who "do not carry the imprimatur or financial cache of the contemporary artists within the closed system."
"The system today -- put in place by galleries, auction houses, and art critiques -- has nothing to do with talent, development of skill, or maturation of the art world," said Cenedella, a teacher at the Art Students League of New York known for satirical works that have included a painting of Santa Claus on a crucifix. …"
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