A contemporary art foundation in Northern California will deaccession the majority of its collection.

Artsy Editorial
Jul 10, 2019 5:05PM, via Artforum

Gallery one at the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art. Photo by Israel Valencia.

Napa, California’s Rene and Veronica di Rosa Foundation, which runs the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, has voted to cease collecting and has announced plans to sell most of the 1,600 works in its collection.

The center was founded by former Napa Valley winemaker Rene di Rosa in 2000 and is home to the collection of Rene and Veronica di Rosa. The collection primarily consists of artists from Northern California. Several hundred works from the collection will remain at the institution, but the majority will be deaccessioned to fund the museum’s endowment.

Robert Sain, the museum’s director, told ARTnews:

This is a textbook example of completing the transition from a private individual’s extraordinary endeavor to it being a public-facing institution. [. . .] We’ve got a great program to deliver to the community, but in order to keep doing it, the board has made these important decisions.

Rene de Rosa died in 2010 and the foundation has not acquired a new work since. Now, as an official non-collecting entity, the focus will shift slightly. According to Artforum, Brenda Mixson, president of the foundation’s board of directors, said, “As non-collecting entities, our emphasis will be on commissioning and supporting working artists and expanding the artistic experiences available for visitors.”

According to Artforum, Sain added: “We will continue to collaborate with the artists of the region and present their work, and we look forward to continuing to serve the broadest community possible through thoughtful exhibitions and inclusive education programs that engage people from all walks of life in ideas that matter.”

Artsy Editorial