Orlando Museum of Art ‘recommitted’ to mission after fake Basquiat artwork scandal

ORLANDO, Fla. — Officials from the Orlando Museum of Art said they are recommitted to their mission of providing excellence in the visual arts.

That proclamation comes the day after federal investigators announced a former Los Angeles auctioneer agreed to plead guilty in a cross-country art fraud scheme that led to paintings being seized from the museum.

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Investigators said Michael Barzman, 45, agreed to plead guilty related to his role in a scheme where he created fake artwork and falsely attributed the paintings to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Basquiat, a Neo-expressionist painter whose success came during the 1980s, lived and worked in New York before he died in 1988 at age 27 from a drug overdose.

Read: Former auctioneer to plead guilty in fake Basquiat paintings case

The Orlando Museum of Art scandal came in 2022 when a federal raid ended in the seizure of 25 paintings whose authenticity had been in question for a decade. The museum had been the first to display the artwork, and its former director had previously insisted the artwork was legitimate.

“The Orlando Museum of Art awaits the investigation’s conclusion and hopes it brings justice to all victims,” OMA Board of Trustees Chairman Mark Elliott said. “In the wake of this ongoing investigation, the Orlando Museum of Art has recommitted itself to its mission to provide excellence in the visual arts with its exhibitions, collections, and educational programming.”

Read: Orlando Museum of Art parts ways with CEO following raid of Basquiat exhibit

You can read the museum’s full statement below:

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Orlando Museum of Art new exhibition (WFTV.com News Staff)

“Today we learned of the plea agreement entered in connection with the ongoing investigation involving last year’s “Heroes and Monsters” exhibition as it was announced publicly. The Orlando Museum of Art awaits the investigation’s conclusion and hopes it brings justice to all victims.

In the wake of this ongoing investigation, the Orlando Museum of Art has recommitted itself to its mission to provide excellence in the visual arts with its exhibitions, collections, and educational programming.

We have taken and will continue to take actions that realign the institution with its mission. These actions include supporting employees impacted by the exhibition and investigation, adopting new personnel policies with enhanced whistleblower protections, meeting with many community members and leaders, receiving governance training for the board, and working with the American Alliance of Museums to repair the institution’s standing.

Where such actions can be disclosed publicly, they have been and will continue to be.

The Museum is eager for the DOJ to continue its investigation and hold those who committed crimes responsible.  When this investigation is closed, and charges are brought, the Museum looks forward to sharing our story regarding the works in question.

The Orlando Museum of Art remains grateful to its employees, supporters, and community.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

VIDEO: Orlando Museum of Art parts ways with CEO following raid of Basquiat exhibit According to a search warrant released by the FBI, they’re investigating allegations of possible wire fraud and conspiracy with regard to the art. (Christy Turner, WFTV.com/WFTV)

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