Comparison: Rose Art Museum and Museum Erotica

There is a lot being said about Brandeis University’s decision to close the Rose Art Museum. It seems a day isn’t going by without a new development. There’s a lot of outrage, a lot of reflection, a lot of finger-pointing and a lot of talk about economic situations and the value of Warhols. It’s as if the “slippery slope” argument of deaccessioning has met a ramp halfway down and launched the debate a thousand feet into the air.

In another part of the world, a museum is thinking of closing because of problems with investors. It is “smaller” than the Rose Art Museum with about a quarter of the objects. It will also sell the entire collection if money cannot be found.

This museum is the Museum Erotica in Copenhagen. I can’t find any other mention of it’s closing than this article.

So, what helps you decide your principles? Is it value? 

The Rose Museum’s Lichtensteins: Must be kept in public ownership for the good of the public (I haven’t ever seen it). The Museum Erotica’s collection: Forgotten about by the media in general (I haven’t seen it either). Would it help if I said one of the dresses once worn by Marilyn Monroe would also be sold and “lost” into private ownership? Does the fame and celebrity connected to the collection mean more?

Is the topic and subject matter too icky? Go to the front page of the Museum Erotica’s website (shockingly, I’m sure, NSFW). It gives you a pretty good idea what to expect. The Rose Art Museum? Well, I remember Andy Warhol being fond of his home movies. But his work in the Rose? I’m sure all his tasteful stuff. As I’m sure the whole collection is wholesome art with occasional nudes, as is to be expected. Art, porn, erotica, surely the deaccessioning debate only recognises “objects”, right?

So here is the experiment. I know a few people in the blogging deaccessioning debate read this. Let’s see if the Museum Erotica will get the same level of noise as the Rose Art Museum. If not, then it speaks volumes about what this debate is really about.

Sportsmen’s bets about what you think will happen.