The lingering legal skirmish between the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) and the family of its late former director, Aaron De Groft, has concluded with both sides dropping their lawsuits. This ends a contentious period that began with allegations of fraudulent Jean-Michel Basquiat artworks on display at the museum.
According to a report by WFTV, the two parties reached an agreement following De Groft's death from a brief illness last month. De Groft, who had championed an exhibit featuring pieces claimed to be lost works of Basquiat, faced scrutiny when the FBI raided the museum and seized the art in question in June 2022, suspecting it to be counterfeit.
An official statement reported by Orlando Weekly has OMA stating, "The parties did not think it prudent or cost effective to continue with this litigation." The museum is keen to put this chapter behind and hopes "this step will allow OMA to continue forward with its mission in partnership with its valued constituencies."
The controversy dates back to February 2022, when the OMA debuted the exhibition "Heroes & Monsters: Jean-Michel Basquiat, The Thaddeus Mumford Jr. Venice Collection." The exhibit was initially well-received but soon faced backlash. A New York Times article raised doubts about the provenance of the artworks and brought the federal investigation to the public's attention. Due to the scandal, the American Alliance of Museums later probationed the OMA.
In the aftermath, the OMA sued De Groft, alleging he aimed to profit off the fake exhibit by selling forged Basquiat paintings. Meanwhile, De Groft had filed a countersuit against the museum, claiming he was wrongfully terminated and defamed by the OMA. Despite the legal back-and-forth, all pending lawsuits connected with De Groft have now been dismissed, marking a tentative resolution to the saga that unfolded around the alleged Basquiat forgeries.
