SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Everson Museum of Art in downtown Syracuse auctioned off a Jackson Pollock painting in New York City.
The Museum auctioned Pollock’s “Red Composition” at Christie’s marquee Evening Sale tonight. In a website post explaining the decision, the Everson Museum said they are auctioning the painting so that they can “establish a fund for acquiring works created by artists of color, women artists, and other under-represented artists.” The museum is also looking for money to refurbish their current collection of over 10,000 pieces of art.
The sale will not go directly into the museum’s operating budget. In fact, the museum said that they are in no financial trouble “thanks to continuing community support and the generosity of those who have supported the Museum’s comprehensive campaign.” Rather, the auction is merely to allow for the museum to feature a more diverse pool of artists.
The Everson Museum, located on Harrison Street, said in the post that they have other Pollock pieces in their possession. They have no other sales planned at this time and they would have to get their artwork approved for sale by the Board of Trustees of the Everson Museum of Art.
Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman donated Pollock’s “Red Composition” to the museum in 1991, according to the Everson Museum’s website. They also acknowledged that the painting is being sold with the Reisman’s support through their foundation.
The museum opened its current building in 1968, designed by acclaimed architect I.M. Pei. As for the museum itself, it goes all the way back to 1897 with the founding of the Syracuse Museum for Fine Arts. The museum has long been a home for great ceramic arts and other works, along with paintings such as Pollock’s “Red Composition.” The museum’s mission is to promote diversity, education, and a more vibrant society all through their work honoring the arts.
