Conflicts of interest can cast doubt on art shows
By Joy E. Crane
Sioux Falls
Published: June 28, 2007 – ARGUS LEADER

I read the letter from James Mathis in which he portrays Scott Ehrisman’s earlier letter as a personal attack against Paul Schiller. I think Ehrisman is frustrated with secrecy and also has a lack of trust in the basic fairness of the system. It is common practice for a juried show to publicize who its judge and/or jurors are. If that information is withheld, it’s only natural to become suspicious.

I have been reading the book “Ethics and the Visual Arts,” which is a collection of essays on various problematic aspects of the art world. One chapter talks about conflict of interest policies for museum professionals and trustees. An excerpt taken from the handbook of the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization states, “Artists who are trustees may not … be considered for an exhibition of their work, either solo, group or juried.”

One easily can see how a museum trustee entering his art in a juried show for the same museum on which he sits as a trustee would present a likely conflict of interest. Can you imagine the pressure felt by the jurors to accept the trustee’s art, possibly in place of work by another artist without official ties to the museum but whose work is deemed to have more merit? Bring the chance for the prestige and personal gain of winning Curator’s Choice, People’s Choice or Artist’s Choice, which could include cash, gifts and/or solo exhibit awards, into the picture, and the potential ethical breach looks even more serious.

The Washington Pavilion’s Arts Night exhibits the juried art for more than a month in its main gallery before the auction and also has a “Meet the Artists” reception a couple of weeks before the big auction event itself so artists can show other examples of their art and offer them for sale to the public without the Pavilion taking any commission. Many artists don’t have much money, so this is very nice.

The Arts Night 2007 brochure lists Schiller as a member of the Washington Pavilion Management Inc. Board of Trustees. His successful advertising firm, Lawrence and Schiller, is listed under “Event Sponsor Silver” and “Sp cial People to Thank,” and one of his photos is on the auction list along with the Web address of his photography business, Acts of Nature.

In view of the above, I would recommend that Schiller not involve his photography in any Pavilion exhibitions or juried competitions (art, marketplace or otherwise) as long as he sits on any Pavilion board.

We probably will never know if he sat on the Arts Night jury, but if he did, it’s just another reason that he never should have entered his photo in Arts Night.

Nothing personal.