June 23, 2001
CONTENTS:
- Former state curator pleads guilty to stealing artifacts
- Israeli Memorial Smuggles Murals
- Museum Of Art, Executive Director Sued By Former Employee
- Spanish Police Smash Suspected Art Forgery Ring
- Mike Johnson Announcement (Steve Keller)
- Athens museum leaves space for Elgin Marbles
- Avoiding jail hinges on sale of art
- Fire suppression
- Fire Breaks Out At Historic Railyard (Sprinkers!)
- The Art Newspaper; this week's top stories
Former state curator pleads guilty to stealing artifacts
Historical society items taken worth at least $120,000, complaint says
By KEVIN MURPHY
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: June 22, 2001
Madison - A former curator of the Wisconsin Historical Society pleaded guilty Friday in Dane County Circuit Court to 14 counts of felony theft in connection with stealing American Indian artifacts valued between $120,000 and $185,000. David Wooley, 53, had been the society's curator of anthropology for only a few months in 1995 when he began taking artifacts from the America Indian collection for which he was responsible, said Ann Koski, museum director for the society. According to the criminal complaint:
Wooley's thefts were uncovered after he sold a Ho-Chunk Nation war club to art collector Robert Bauver after Bauver said he could find another buyer for it. Bauver sold the club to an Ontario art gallery owner, Robert Ellis, for $28,500, and Ellis later pictured the club in an online catalog he published. In January 1998, a university professor in Germany saw the catalog and recognized the club as one he had photographed at the historical society on a visit to Madison in 1984. The professor e-mailed the society to alert it to the possibility that the club was illegally obtained. However, that e-mail was received by Wooley, who quietly got the war club back and returned it to the society's collection. The professor then contacted the society again, and employees began checking on the possibility that the item had been stolen. The investigation ultimately led to Wooley being charged with 27 counts of felony theft and three counts of failing to file a state tax return. He pleaded guilty to 14 of the theft counts and the tax charges. Wooley's attorney, Christopher Van Wagner, said the historical society has recovered or located all the artifacts his client has been accused of taking. Van Wagner denied that Wooley intended to sell artifacts that were in his possession. Wooley had quit his job with the society in July 1999 to take a similar job with the Lac du Flambeau Chippewa and intended only to use the items in artifact shows or lectures he would give, Van Wagner said. However, Koski said the organization is still going over the 5,100-item collection Wooley had overseen for items that may be stolen. The task has been made more difficult because some phony artifacts were substituted for real ones, she said. The stolen items included one-of-a-kind designs and some made of rare materials, Koski said. Wooley faces a maximum of 100 years in prison when he is sentenced by Circuit Judge Moria Krueger in about two months.
Appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on June 23, 2001.
Israeli Memorial Smuggles Murals
By Sergei Shargorodsky
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, June 20, 2001; 4:13 PM
DROHOBYCH, Ukraine –– In a secret operation, Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial has smuggled out of Ukraine fragments of murals by Polish-Jewish artist Bruno Schulz, sparking an international controversy. Yad Vashem maintains it was merely exercising its right to preserve the works of a prominent Jewish writer, artist and Holocaust victim, but Ukrainian and Polish officials say their removal was a crime. Drohobych, a Polish town that became part of Ukraine after World War II, shows few outward signs of the tempers flaring around its most famous son, who was slain by the Nazis in 1942. On Shevchenko Street, where Schulz was shot to death by an SS officer, children play and housewives walk, carrying shopping bags. There is no monument to the shy art teacher who immortalized their town in eloquent, mystical prose.
full story:
http://washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A24553-2001Jun20?language=printer
Museum Of Art, Executive Director Sued By Former Employee
A former longtime volunteer and employee of the San Diego Museum of Art is suing Executive Director Don Bacigalupi and another top executive for alleged breach of contract, age and sexual discrimination, along with five other complaints. Marilen Hage Sedlock, the plaintiff, accuses Bacigalupi of discriminating against her because she is heterosexual and retaliating against her for not supporting homosexual causes. The complaint, filed May 29 in San Diego Superior Court, asserts Bacigalupi is a homosexual male and attempted to use his position in the SDMA to promote homosexual issues.
full story:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/sddt/20010621/lo/museum_of_art_executive_director_sued_by_former_employee_1.html
Spanish Police Smash Suspected Art Forgery Ring
MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish police have broken up a suspected family art forgery ring, arresting 11 people and confiscating 186 suspected forged works of Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and other famous artists, officials said on Thursday.
The investigation began in January when investigators doubted the authenticity of works attributed to artists, including leading Spanish impressionist Joaquin Sorolla, which were on sale at a fair in Madrid. Similar pieces were spotted at another fair in February, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. After consulting with heirs of the artists, who reported having the originals in their possession, a police unit dedicated to art crimes carried out on-the-spot analyzes of the works on display. Police arrested 11 people from a family clan in Madrid as well as Malaga and Jaen in the southern region of Andalusia, the ministry said. Among those arrested was the painter believed to have copied the valuable works. Police also seized a half-finished oil painting already bearing the signature of Sorolla as well as well as several other works.
full story:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010621/re/crime_spain_art_dc_1.html
From: IntlArtCop@aol.com
Date sent: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 01:04:47 EDT
Subject: Mike Johnson Announcement
To: securma@xs4all.nl
Many people have inquired over the past several years regarding the whereabouts and well being of Mike Johnson, my former assistant, who worked for me for about 5 years then quit in order to tend to the needs of his critically ill wife. Mike started his own business so he could work from home and still take care of his wife and five year old son. He was a residential designer and construction professional before joining our team and has operated a successful design business since leaving us. He is well known in the museum and security communities since he attended many conferences with me, spoke at many Horizon seminars as well as at the Smithsonian conference, and was in several of the Horizon videos. Our architectural clients especially felt the loss of Mike when he left the team. As a construction professional they often asked him about more than just security matters. Mike has visited many of our clients including some in Europe on various projects and just last month a European client asked about Mike who assisted them in a difficult project. Now that Mike's family situation has changed and our business is growing I approached him about re-joining our team and I am delighted that he has accepted my offer. Mike will return to Steve Keller and Associates in July as a project associate. He will also manage our pre-paid plan. We now have three full time professional employees on staff in addition to my wife Kathy, who handles training and similar projects, and myself. Alicia Ricci is a degreed architect and former building inspector. She is also a CAD operator. Pete Rondeau, a former nuclear arms inspector, is an electronics specialist and our CAD manager, and Mike Johnson, is a CAD operator and construction specialist with strong experience in security system design. I am very pleased that we were able to get Mike back on the team. Old friends can reach Mike after July 15 at: mike@stevekeller.com
Steve Keller
www.stevekeller.com
Athens museum leaves space for Elgin Marbles
By Louise Jury, Media Correspondent
22 June 2001
A £40m museum in Athens will leave space to eventually show the Elgin Marbles as they were originally displayed in Greece, it was announced in London yesterday by Professor Demetrios Pandermalis, the president of the project.
In a gesture likely to raise the stakes in the long-running argument over the friezes held in the British Museum in London, Greek officials said the centrepiece of the project would be a hall with the same dimensions as the original in the Parthenon building, the original home of the works. Visitors would be able to view them not like paintings on a wall, as in the British Museum, but high around the outside of the hall as they were displayed in the 5th century BC. Fourteen architectural practices are in competition for the contract to design the building at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens.The Greeks hope the museum will be open in time for the 2004 Olympics in the city. Prof Pandermalis, an archaeologist, said he knew that the British Government had rejected the return of the marbles, which have been in the UK since the beginning of the 19th century. But he said: "For four years I was a member of parliament in Greece and I know the main characteristics of politics is change. Never is a no a no and never is a yes a yes."
http://news.independent.co.uk/
Avoiding jail hinges on sale of art
By GREG TUTTLE
Of The Gazette Staff
A Billings coin dealer accused of bilking thousands of dollars from gold investors will have to sell a valuable art collection to stay out of jail. In a deal with prosecutors, Jeff Larson, 34, who operated American Coin and Gallery at 2011 Grand Ave., pleaded guilty Thursday in District Court to two felony charges for failing to report or register security sales with state officials. In return for the guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to recommend a 3-year deferred prison sentence and to not pursue felony charges of deceptive practices and theft. But the deal hinges on Larson’s ability to pay three victims restitution. The payment must be made in cash on Nov. 1, the day he is scheduled to be sentenced. The amount of restitution will be determined at a hearing two weeks before the sentencing date, but in court records the victims alleged Larson bilked them of an estimated $200,000. Larson could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted on all the felony charges. Judge Susan Watters granted a request by Larson to travel outside the state to sell his art collection to raise money for restitution. Larson remains free after posting a $5,000 bond last year. “The nature of the art is somewhat rare and valuable and can’t be sold at the gallery at the mall,” said Brian Kohn, Larson’s attorney. Larson was charged in May 2000 after several investors told police they gave him thousands of dollars to buy gold and other precious metals, but failed to do so and did not return the money. One victim said he gave Larson $80,000, but Larson used half of the money to open a business selling home and business security equipment. Another victim said he gave Larson a total of $110,000 to buy precious metals that were never delivered. Investigators said Larson visited Las Vegas and Jackpot, Nev., at about the same time. A third victim said he gave Larson 5,000 ounces of silver to be sold on consignment. But within a month, the victim became concerned because he could not locate Larson and was told the business had closed. Larson later gave the customer a $4,000 check, which banks refused to honor because of insufficient funds. Larson told investigators that he was in financial trouble and that his lines of credit had reached the maximum. Greg Tuttle can be reached at 657-1320 or at gtuttle@billingsgazette.com
http://www.billingsgazette.com/
ConsDisList:
Date: 20 Jun 2001
From: Sarah Talley setflower@yahoo.com
Subject: Fire suppression
Norman E. Muller nmuller@princeton.edu writes
I have heard that the fire suppressant FM200, when burned, emits
hydrofluoric acid. Can someone comment on this, please. We had
been considering using this here at The Art Museum, Princeton
University, when reinstalling one of our storage areas, but this
information is disturbing, if true.
I spoke with a friend of mine who works in the fire detection/suppression field in California about FM200. He says it only emits hydrofluoric acid when heated to a temperature of 1500 degrees. Many (most?) U.S. jurisdictions require sprinkler systems in addition to chemical suppressant systems, so both systems would have to fail for a fire to heat the FM200 that much. I'm sure there are environmental concerns involved with clean up, but from a collections standpoint, if your storage area reaches 1500 degrees, items in your collection will be so far beyond help that hydrofluoric acid won't make any difference.
From: Jack Sullivan jacksull@mindspring.com
Subject: [Fire Safe Heritage]: Fire Breaks Out At Historic Railyard (Sprinkers!)
Tuesday June 19 12:05 PM EDT
Fire Breaks Out At Historic Railyard
KCRA TheKCRAChannel.com
A fire broke out Monday night in the historic Southern Pacific railyard, the oldest industrial complex west of the Mississippi River.
City fire crews responded when smoke started pouring from the railyard, and firefighters found a Chevy pickup truck on fire. The California State Railroad Museum leases the building from Union Pacific, which plans to turn the building and several others into a rail technology museum by 2008. "They have old chairs and stuff (in the building)," Rich McKinney, Sacramento Fire assistant chief, said. "It looks like they're doing refurbishing of furniture and different types of things for their museum." The sprinkler system helped put out the fire, officials said. The museum foundation's director said there was no damage to the building.
From: newsletter@theartnewspaper.com
Subject: The Art Newspaper; thios week's top stories
The Art Newspaper.com http://www.theartnewspaper.com This week's top stories:
FREUDIAN QUEST FOR BACON LONDON.
Berlin is being plastered with “WANTED” posters designed by Lucian Freud in an attempt to recover the Tate’s stolen portrait of Francis Bacon, taken 13 years ago. A reward of up to DM 300,000 (£100,000) is being offered and the hope is that massive international publicity may lead to the recovery of the Freud painting, which was seized from a British Council exhibition in the Neue Nationalgalerie. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=6654 MANHATTAN SOCIALITE GIVES $500,000 TO THE PUSHKIN
ST PETERSBURG. Patti Birch, a board member of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and an honorary trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has signed an agreement with Moscow’s Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts to donate $500,000 over the next five years. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=6653 WHERE TO GO FOR THE HOLS
NEW YORK. Artists’ summer colonies, those retreats offering serenity and fellowship nestled in the countryside, are hardly turn-of-the-century memories. In this country, they are suddenly booming in number. “When we began, we had only 18 member colonies,” says Tricia Snell, Alliance of Artists’ Communities executive director. Since then membership has shot up more than seven times to 130 communities. Plus, Ms Snell says, there are close to 50 new ones in the process of organising. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=6652
CATHOLIC, YET THE MOST COHERENT FOR YEARS LONDON. For almost a quarter of a century the Royal Academy has made constructive efforts to counter criticism of its Summer Exhibition. Consecutive presidents began inviting admired artists outside the Academy to share its walls. Yet, in the eyes of its critics, these moves never went far enough to give the annual event contemporary relevance. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=6651 GREAT DEALER’S GIFT IN MEMORY OF HIS SON
FLORENCE. Carlo de Carlo, the great art dealer and connoisseur, who died in December 1999, loved the Bargello Museum in Florence. Although most of his collection was sold at the Semenzato auction on 19 April, he had said that he wanted to leave his best piece to the Bargello in memory of his only son Stefano, who died tragically at the age of 20. This wish, however, was not in writing. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=6650 GREECE AND GERMANY EXCHANGE ANTIQUITIES
LONDON. Greece and Germany are to “exchange” antiquities, under a new agreement due to be signed in late July. As part of the deal, Berlin’s Pergamon Museum is to send back 10 pieces of carved stone from the Philippeion, a monument of the fourth century BC at Olympia. The Greeks are to provide other antiquities for display in Berlin. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=6631 PHILLIPS COLLECTION RESOLVES DISPUTE WITH NEIGHBOURS OVER EXPANSION PLANS
NEW YORK. After months of negotiations, the Phillips Collection and its immediate neighbours in the Dupont Circle section of DC, have resolved a dispute (see 23 January article) over a proposed expansion of the museum's building. So the Phillips is finally able to move forward with its expansion plans and will bring the proposal, along with the agreement with its neighbours, to a hearing with the Board of Zoning Adjustments on 26 June. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=6630 FRENCH ART PRICES SLUMP—OFFICIAL
PARIS. The prices made by living French artists are falling further and further behind those of artists from other countries, according to an official report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=6571
Anna Somers Cocks, Editor
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