There have been plenty of controversies in recent times regarding the art industry and collectors in general. However, you must have heard about a major controversy which is related to the di Rosa foundation. The foundation which is a non-collecting one has planned to sell off its holdings. The foundation says that they need to do this in order to keep themselves afloat.
However, this decision from the foundation has been opposed by many. Artists have come out and wrote open letters to the di Rosa foundation saying that the di Rosa foundation should not sell the collection to everyone. Their argument is that the foundation should find a proper place for the works to be kept. On the other hand, the di Rosa foundation has stated that they have not found enough donors so that they can keep the holdings inside the foundation which is why they need to sell them.
Surprisingly, two figures have now come out not in protests but in support of the di Rosa Foundation. They say that they are in favour of the decision by the foundation to make the sale of these works. Additionally, these figures who have come out in support for the di Rosa foundation are prominent ones namely Gloria Merchant and Tim Kelly. While Gloria is the widow of collector Roy De Forest, Tim has previously served on foundation’s board.
Gloria says in an open letter that “There are many works of Roy’s in this collection, but not often on display, If some were sold to help continue the di Rosa, it would be like Roy giving back the generosity and support Rene gave him. It is the time for artists whose lives were touched by him, as Roy’s life was, to step up too.”
Tim Kelly also came out in support writing that “My sincere hope is that the decision to move forward with deaccessioning a portion of the collection will be a positive step forward that addresses the concerns of the artists in the collection as well as other stakeholders in the di Rosa community who are already benefiting from our new direction.”
