The Rijksmuseum Twenthe in the Netherlands is presently collaborating with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in order to review the museums' disaster/emergency planning.
In particular we are attempting to gather as much information as possible concerning first-aid procedures in the case of random attacks on works of art in museums, such as: acid-attacks (e.g. The acid attack on the A. Durer in Munich) or attacks with sharp instruments (e.g. Barnett Newman in the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam).
There is however little to be found in the literature concerning which procedures one should adopt in the case of such attacks. We were hoping that other museums in the world may have sufficiently developed their emergency strategies and that such procedures may have already been set to paper. In order to be clear, what we mean by procedures is what does one actually do when such an attack takes place: shut the room to the public? Who calls the conservation department? Who removes the painting from the wall? Who does what and when? Should the painting be placed face-down or face-up?
Although we realise that this sort of information may be confidential to each museum, we would greatly appreciate it if it would be possible to receive information concerning which procedures have been adopted in your museum.
We shall shortly be organising an internal workshop (Rijksmuseum Twenthe and Van Gogh Museum) concerning the more practical aspects of this sort of attack: which materials should be used for which sort of attack and more importantly we are hoping to determine the content of a 'first-aid kit'. We would of course be prepared to communicate the results of this workshop to whoever may be interested.
If it would be possible to communicate information concerning these procedures, please send to:
Mrs. F. Verberne Rijksmuseum Twenthe Conservation Department Lasondersingel 129-131 7514 BP Enschede +31 53 435 86 75 Fax: +31 53 435 90 02 fverberne@rijksmuseum-twenthe.nl
F. Verberne Paintings' Conservator Rijksmuseum Twenthe
E. Hendriks Head of Paintings Conservation Van Gogh Museum
Ex-Sotheby's Chairman Goes to Trial
By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) - A scandal that exposed fine art auctioneers as price-fixing opportunists will go back on public display at the trial of the former top Sotheby's executive. A. Alfred Taubman, the former Sotheby's chairman, was charged with antitrust conspiracy for allegedly joining rival auction house Christie's to set artificially high commission rates that ripped off sellers. Jury selection in the case starts Thursday; opening statements are expected next week in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. Taubman, 76, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., has said he is ``absolutely innocent'' since charges were made public on May 2 by the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
His counterpart at Christie's, Anthony Tennant, 71, of Andover, England, remains a fugitive, maintaining that he is innocent and being pursued as a ``scapegoat for others.'' Last October, Sotheby's pleaded guilty to price-fixing charges along with its former chief executive officer, Diana D. Brooks, the first woman to head a major auction house and one of the most powerful figures in the art world over the past decade. The latest indictment accuses Taubman and Tennant of joining a conspiracy that stole as much as $400 million in commissions from sellers from 1993 to 1999. The fallout from the scandal has walloped the companies financially, leading to a $537 million settlement of lawsuits brought by customers. The companies which control more than 90 percent of the world's auctions of works of art, jewelry and furniture will share the settlement costs. If convicted, Taubman faces up to three years in prison and could be fined up to twice the amount lost by customers. Sotheby's said in a May statement that none of its current employees was involved in or aware of any breach in antitrust laws. Christie's did not immediately return a telephone message for comment.
The government is counting on Brooks to say she was acting on orders from Taubman. Brooks' plea came in a cooperation deal that requires her to testify against her former boss. At a pre- trial hearing, Taubman lawyer Robert B. Fiske said the defense will insist ``that didn't happen. ... If she did it, she did it on her own.'' Sotheby's has been sentenced to pay $45 million; Brooks awaits sentencing. The government also had indicated it will summon as a witness Christopher Davidge, the former chief executive officer for Christie's. Christie's received amnesty from prosecution after it began cooperating with the federal investigation after a grand jury began probing the scandal in 1997. Fiske said the auction house guaranteed testimony from Davidge by arranging an $8 million severance package.
He said that, to retain its amnesty, the auction house must show that it shut down the price fixing once it was discovered and that Sotheby's initiated the scheme. Tennant, meanwhile, said in a letter contained in court records that he cannot be extradited and stand trial because antitrust is not a criminal offense in England. ``The prime target is Taubman,'' according to the letter, allegedly written to friends and colleagues as a response to the indictment. ``I have been indicted, too, because they had to come up with results after such a long investigation or face criticism for wasting a lot of time.'' He also rejected a trip to the United States to clear his name, saying that to do so could take ``months, possibly years.'' ``I prefer to rely on the recognition of friends that I am innocent of these charges,'' he said. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/
More:
Sotheby's trial set to expose art cartel
FROM NICHOLAS WAPSHOTT IN NEW YORK
THE owner of Sotheby’s goes on trial in New York today on charges that he swindled art sellers out of $400 million (£280 million) by fixing prices. Alfred Taubman, a property tycoon from Detroit who bought the auction house to improve his social standing, is accused of conspiring to fix sale commissions with Sir Anthony Tennant, the former head of Christie’s, Sotheby’s arch-rival. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,3-2001385333,00.html
Attacks Hurt Arts Community in D.C.
By DERRILL HOLLY, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Washington's thriving arts world is trying to overcome the post-Sept. 11 fear factor and lure people back to the museums, galleries, concert halls, and theaters of the nation's capital. People of the District of Columbia and environs have trickled back since the September terror attacks and subsequent anthrax scare, but families from the area and outside have stayed away. ``The biggest absence in our museums is schoolchildren,'' said David Umansky, director of communications for Smithsonian Institution (news - web sites). While weekday attendance has remained low at the National Zoo and other major Smithsonian museums, about 100,000 have visited the sites each weekend, Umansky said. Dorothy Pierce McSweeny, chairwoman of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, said groups from all over the country have canceled planned visits. The Washington Ballet's production of ``The Nutcracker'' at the downtown Warner Theater, a Christmastime standard, has seen a decline in group sales, but single ticket sales have been solid. Other artistic groups are noting similar trends.
``People are waiting to see what happens in the next few months,'' said Frankie Hewitt, producing artistic director of Ford's Theatre. Although advanced ticket sales for its 52 holiday season performances of Charles Dickens' ``A Christmas Carol'' are near to meeting the Ford's projection, Hewitt said the updated Gilbert and Sullivan musical, ``Hot Mikado,'' has been added to the spring schedule because of its appeal to local audiences. ``We will not have to rely heavily on revenue from tour groups,'' Hewitt said. The decline in Washington visits by school classes from across the nation could be felt well into the next school year. The loss of visitors from areas two to five hours away is especially harmful, because those youngsters are considered base audiences for local attractions. ``People in the suburbs need to know that the city is safe,'' said Anne Corbette, executive director of the Cultural Development Corp. Before the attacks on the Pentagon (news - web sites) and New York's World Trade Center, Washington area hotels had some of the highest occupancy rates in the nation. Since then, vacancy rates have run as high as 80 percent. Almost nearly half the region's hospitality industry workers are laid off.
Attendance at trade shows and conventions has been down by about 20 percent, but only one event,a corporate meeting, has been canceled. ``Our biggest challenge is convincing people to leave their meetings and see the city because it's safe,'' said Lewis Dawley III, chief executive officer of the Washington Convention Center and Tourism Authority. In the weeks after the attacks, Mayor Anthony Williams dined with President Bush (news - web sites) and members of Congress at local restaurants and visited a museum with several governors trying to salvage the region's $9 billion tourist industry. ``What happened with the anthrax just stomped on all of that,'' Williams said Tuesday. He said the capital now needs to overcome also the media images of the latest terrorist threat. One way Williams hopes the federal government will help out is to allow visitors back into the White House and the Capitol. The two major attractions have been restricted since the anthrax attacks began. ``They've got to be open if you're going to get that traffic, and that family that we're talking about,'' Williams said.
6,000 US$ can make CHW avoiding death. Please save CHW!!!
November 6, 2001
Dear all the kindly people and organizations who are interested in the protection of cultural heritage:
Cultural Heritage Watch (CHW) is busy for promoting the attitude of local people on cultural heritage in recent years. As a small non-profit non-governmental organization, CHW depends on MSN and Mr. Ton's Internet and Website support, and a NYC foundation's computer support. Almost all the other fund used for the work is depended on CHW members' contribution. CHW works very hard for the heritage although it is lacking fund very much. However, because of a great escape CHW now faces the end. October 1st to 7th this year is a long vacation in China. CHW knows that this vacation is also lucky days for illegal excavators so we decided to go to Chifeng City in North China for shooting the illicit excavation. We borrowed some shooting equipment from a company in Beijing then went to Chifeng City by train and borrowed bicycle from local people. In the wilderness of North China, we shot some local people's excavation then reported them to local police. When we talked the ancient tombs with the local excavators, we got information that a large excavation group with some foreigners would come here several days later. We reported it to local police and decided to stay the wilderness for shooting the large group. We were successful to meet them in the 8th evening and I joined the excavation when the another of us shot the situation in a concealment. We believed that the shooting is perfect and we even recorded the scene sound because a digital recorder was concealed in my pocket. Because of our carelessness, the another people of us and his shooting equipment were found by a foreigner (I guess he is from North Europe because I had talk with him during the excavation) in the last minute. We run away crazily at once with our baggage. We knew that we had to jump into a large river if we hoped to be alive because their three jeeps were closer and closer. October's river in North China is cold and we had to stay the cold river more than 2 hours with our all equipment. They left the bank of river after 2 hours. Maybe they thought that we had been died in the river. Up to now, we do not know clearly that how we came back to home. We two people were sent to hospital in Beijing at once because of very serious pneumonia and others. In the hospital, we knew that all the equipment were damaged because of our running away crazily and staying at river long time. All of you can understand how terrible we were when we stayed at hospital. One week ago, we left hospital and began to work for a business company in our free time. We must get money for hospital bill and the shooting equipment we borrowed. The bill of hospital will be paid next month. But the indemnity for equipment is indeed very difficult for us. The company tells us that the indemnity (RMB50,000, about 6,000 US$) should be paid before the end of this year or we will be called by court. We know clearly that it is impossible for us to get so much money from our work before the end of this year. And we know clearly that all the property of CHW will be sealed up after the calling by court. No way to go now for us to pay the indemnity but we call for your help. 6,000 US$ can make CHW avoiding death. Please save CHW!!!
Yours He Shuzhong Cultural Heritage Watch (CHW) http://www.culturalheritagewatch.org
From: Tony Subject:
Chinese arts
I have been asked to appraise a pair of Chinese early ming tomb statues. These are life-size horses. I am wondering now if there should be some paperwork from the government of China accompanying these 600-800 year old stone carvings, thus allowing them out of the country. Can you tell me what you know. I have contacted the US customs, and they say that they don't know the rules of other countries and once they have passed something they no longer have any responsibility.
These pieces have been brought into the US this decade. Anything you can find out I would appreciate.
Thanks
answer from CHW:
If the objects are a pair of Chinese early ming tomb statues, 1,all the related laws from 1930 up to now in China forbid clearly such object go abroad, 2,no law before 1930 in China allowed such object go abroad. So, they are illegal exported properties if they are exported after 1930. And they are also illegal exported properties if they have no special document accompanyed from the government even though they were exported from China before 1930. If these pieces have been brought into the US this decade and without the special document I said above, I believe that they are illegal imported properties for US.And such properties should be sealed up by US authorities. And should be returned if there are evidence on the process. Best HE Shuzhong http://www.culturalheritagewatch.org