Deaccession

DEFINITION

A term often related to private and public art collections, it means removal of artwork either by exchange or sale. Museum Directors often use de-accession as a method of maintaining the focus of the museum <br><br>To remove an artwork from a museum&#39;s collection, or the artwork that is removed. Works are typically deaccessioned through sale or exchange in order to acquire other works; rarely to support any other financial needs. During the art market of the 1980s, when prices were driven up by speculators, some museums resorted to the sale of what were considered secondary or redundant pieces in order to raise funds to acquire others. This is a controversial practice, raising questions as to whether such decisions reflect current tastes and will stand the test of time. Criticism is especially harsh against the deaccessioning of donations.(pr. DEE-ak-SE-sh&#601;n)Also see accession, bad-debt art, commodification, gallery, and registrar.