Our view on the pending Pollock sale
Our view on the pending Pollock sale
As many of you have heard or read in recent news, Iowa's most famous painting, Jackson Pollock's Mural has again become a target for those who wish eliminate it from the UIMA collection. The bill to sell Mural, House Study Bill 84, was introduced Wednesday, February 9, by Representative Scott Raecker (R-Urbandale), and if passed, would require the sale of the monumental work as a means of providing scholarship assistance.
The painting was a gift from Peggy Guggenheim, one of the most important art gallery owners of the twentieth century. She donated the work so the University of Iowa may use it to teach students about art. Guggenheim clearly expressed that she would be against the sale of the work by the UIMA, as her 1963 letter to UI President Virgil Hancher explicitly states,
"... it is extremely unpleasant for me that you should sell my gift... If you no longer wish to have this mural in your university I must ask you to return it to me..."
Needless to say, if the heirs of Guggenheim choose to pursue this in the courts, the entire situation will reflect poorly on the state and the university, and we could end up losing the work with no compensation. Furthermore, the proposed sale clearly contravenes the UIMA's accreditation with the American Association of Museums, as well as the museum's standing with other national professional organizations.
This is not the first time Pollock's work has been the topic of discussion. In 2008, the sale of Mural was proposed as a means to offset costs in flood damage costs. Just as in the past, UIMA staff members stand firmly and protectively by the UIMA collection, one of the most significant university collections in the world. Sean O'Harrow, UIMA director, states:
"Pollock's Mural is the most famous painting in Iowa and one of the most important paintings in all of American Art. Selling this historic masterpiece would tear the heart out of the University of Iowa's collection and undermine our credibility throughout the world. I believe that the reputation of our university and our state is of the utmost importance. The proposed sale cannot be allowed to happen if you value our future."
Since March 2009, when Pollock's Mural was returned to the state of Iowa after the 2008 flood and exhibited in the UIMA's gallery at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa, more than 100,000 Iowa students, Iowa citizens and Iowa visitors have seen the painting and have been educated on American art. The sale of Pollock's Mural would not only harm our ability to teach art and related subjects at the University of Iowa, but also be a tremendous loss to the people of the state of Iowa.
We encourage you to voice your opinions and concerns to your legislators, Mr. Raecker, and Governor Terry Branstad. You can find your legislator here. Rep. Raecker can be reached by e-mail or by calling 515-276-5987. Governor Branstad can be reached by calling 515-281-5211 or electronically by filling out a form on his website.
Thank you for your continued support of the University of Iowa Museum of Art and its collection.
