The O’Keeffe Museum has once again asked the Tennessee court to grant it full possession of the Stieglitz collection, repeating the allegation that Fisk had breached the terms of O’Keeffe’s donation. The museum does not want to hurt Fisk but is obligated to oppose Walton’s proposition because it “changes the whole intent of the gift,” says Cohen. “O’Keeffe made the gift to help Fisk. Under the terms of the Crystal Bridges deal, the collection would be taken out of state and exhibited in Arkansas for half the time.”

The O’Keeffe Museum’s opposition to Walton’s offer is “a bit disingenuous” and “mean-spirited,” says Fisk spokesperson Ken West. “The museum was willing to break up the collection as long as it received a benefit. It wants Radiator Building at any cost, and it is willing to cause harm to Fisk in order to get it.” 

"Unfair Share?" originally appeared in the January 2008 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Art+Auction's January 2008 Table of Contents.