Museum Of Art Analysis

A controversy over the value of art has recently been sparked by a bill proposed by republican state representative Scott Raecker in Iowa. Representative Raecker has proposed that the University Of Iowa Museum Of Art should sell a certain piece of art in its collection to create money for scholarships and general school funding. While normally this would seem like a sound and straightforward idea, but the piece in question is the prized possession the museum: Mural, a 1943 painting by Jackson Pollock. Because of the significance of the piece this bill has created two drastically opposed sides in regards to the issue.

To truly understand the issue, both sides should be examined without bias so that both arguments can be taken into account.

not selling the painting) are the best course of action for the school as well. The anti-sale supporters believe that the non-monetary value of the piece is greater than its monetary value for a number of reasons. The first of these reasons is the pieces history in relation to the university, a reason the University Of Iowa Museum Of Art?s website discusses in great detail. This University of Iowa Museum Of Art?s website states that in 1943 Pollock was commissioned to make Mural by Marguerite ?Peggy? Guggenheim?s (a famous art collector) for display in her new townhouse / exhibit. From 1943 to 1947 Mural resided in said townhouse until Guggenheim decided to move it in 1947. Because of its sheer size (about 9 feet by 18 feet), Guggenheim had nowhere else to store the painting and she needed to get rid of it; and she said that if Pollock would pay for the shipping she would send it to the University of Iowa. Why they chose the University of Iowa isn?t well known, but in 1951 the painting was gifted by Pollock himself to the University (a gift that predates the university?s museum) and has remained with the university ever since. This deep history gives a kind of sentimental value to the piece simply because the piece has been with the university for an incredibly long time.

The anti-sale side of the debate builds off of the piece?s rich history with the school by stating that the piece also draws people to the university, since Mural is quite a noteworthy piece and the University Of Iowa is the only place one can see it in person or study it. Anti-sale supporters argue that Mural acts as the centerpiece or cornerstone of the entirety of the museum?s collection and to sell it would be a sacrilegious and grievous