Orlando Museum of Art cancels exhibitions after Basquiat forgery scandal

The Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) is attempting to recover from a major forgery scandal involving 25 fake Jean-Michel Basquiat works. The FBI seized the pieces on June 24, 2022, from the exhibition "Heroes and Monsters," leading to the firing of director and CEO Aaron De Groft. Now, OMA's board has announced a review of all planned exhibitions and canceled the next three shows programmed by De Groft: one featuring a painting De Groft claimed was by Jackson Pollock (owned by a co-owner of the fake Basquiats), another of Michelangelo drawings, and a traveling Banksy exhibition. A task force led by trustees Mark Elliott and Nancy Wolf is reviewing museum policies. The scandal has damaged OMA's reputation and philanthropic support: several donors are considering moving their support to the nearby Rollins Museum of Art, and the Martin Andersen – Gracia Andersen Foundation plans to revoke its 30-year loan of a collection of 18th- and 19th-century American paintings (including works by Robert Henri and John Singer Sargent) to OMA, giving at least part to Rollins. The task force has hired an independent law firm to review exhibition approval procedures and strengthen management of the permanent collection. Interim director Luder Whitlock, former head of the CNL Charitable Foundation, has been appointed. However, some local art community members, including Rollins College director Ena Heller, have called for the resignation of board chair Cynthia Brumback.