The Forebears: Bertha and Edward Rose, founders of the eponymous museum
Below in its entirety is the statement signed by 67 members of the family of Edward and Bertha Rose, founders of the endangered Rose Art Museum. These demands were to have been delivered, shortly before this posting, to Brandeis University’s president, Jehuda Reinharz. A Rose Museum board member, Meryl Rose, is expected to discuss her family’s position at the beginning of tonight’s program at the museum.
You can watch it live, beginning at 6:30 p.m., here.
Rose Family member Fred Hopengarten told me today that the family has no immediate plans to litigate. But it has retained Boston attorney Terry Dangel, whom it may ask to file suit or seek an injunction if Brandeis doesn’t soon address the family’s concerns to its satisfaction.
The Roses are putting their faith, for now, in negotiation with the university’s administration and possible intervention by David Spackman, chief of the Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General, whose office is examining the situation.
Here’s what the Rose Family seeks:
STATEMENT OF THE ROSE FAMILYWe speak on behalf of over 50 living members of the Rose Family. The current Brandeis University administration intends to close the Edward and Bertha C. Rose Art Museum, and to sell the art works in its renowned collection.
We Object.
We urge the current university president and the trustees to restore the use, budget, staffing,and activities of the Rose Art Museum until a final decision is issued by a court.
The university is effectively closing the museum before the Attorney General or any court has ruled that closing is allowed. This is being accomplished not only by a premature announcement of closure, but also by withholding the Rose’s own money—and cutting its staff, resources, and activities.
“Re‐purposing” the museum is closing by another name. It would not be the Rose. Any other understanding of the university’s current plan is disinformation. The administration wants to control money given to the Rose for museum purposes, to sell precious works of art, and to close the museum.
We Object.
We, the Rose Family, protest the plundering of the Rose Art Museum and its collection. Ed and Bertha Rose not only funded the planning and construction of the museum, but also set up three funds, separate from the Brandeis endowment, to perpetuate the Museum: the Rose Maintenance Fund, the Rose Museum Endowment Fund, and the Rose Endowed Purchase Fund. The existence and mission of the Rose benefit art, culture and education—locally and worldwide. The Rose offers students and the public a prized modern and contemporary art collection.
The art has been put on the auction block. The museum has been put on the chopping block.
We Object.
We seek:
1. Immediate renewal of contracts with the Museum Director and all his staff. Those salaries are paid from dedicated funds donated to or raised by the Museum—not from the general budget of Brandeis.
2. Authorization for the Director to prepare and install the next exhibit, to open when the Hans Hofmann exhibit comes down in May. Otherwise, the walls will be bare and there will be no exhibitions. Brandeis will have effectively closed the Rose Art Museum.
3. A promise that Brandeis will not sell any art belonging to the Rose.
4. A commitment that Brandeis will honor the donors’ intentions that there be a public art
museum at Brandeis, and the Rose is that museum.The museum is not for closing; the art is not for sale.