Dear Governor and Mrs. DeWine,
I write to request your urgent intervention regarding a series of troubling decisions made by the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) that jeopardize our Ohio’s rich cultural heritage and the public trust.
Recently, TMA announced—via a Facebook post on January 30—that its historic Cloisters Gallery would be closed with only three days’ notice. This beloved space, featuring authentic 12th- to 15th-century columns gifted by Edward Drummond Libbey, has long served as a sanctuary for art lovers in Toledo. The sudden closure, which has prompted hundreds of impassioned comments from the public, is being accompanied by plans to relocate the fragile Cloisters that are permanently installed in their present location to a spot two galleries over.
Just as alarming, and happening concurrently but not revealed to Toledoans, is the news from “down under” that TMA is loaning 57 iconic Impressionist and 20th-century paintings—many of which are featured in its “Masterworks” book—to the Auckland Art Gallery in New Zealand, where the exhibition is scheduled to open on June 7, 2025. As noted in the Auckland Art Gallery’s press release dated January 29, “Visitors can expect to be dazzled by the much-loved highlights of Toledo Museum of Art’s internationally-renowned collection.” Director Adam Levine even stated, “Never have so many of our masterworks travelled together, and we could not be more excited for them to debut in Auckland.” However, this loan was not announced publicly by TMA; the news only surfaced on the Auckland gallery’s website on January 29, and it didn’t reach the Northern Hemisphere until a week later (thanks to Google)—an indication that these actions were concealed from the Toledo community.
The exhibition include works by Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Helen Frankenthaler, Édouard Manet, William Merritt Chase, Amedeo Modigliani, Berthe Morisot, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Camille Pissarro, Robert Rauschenberg, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, James McNeill Whistler, among others.
Given that TMA boasts 280,000 square feet of gallery space and that these 57 paintings represent the core of its collection—masterworks that many believe could be valued at up to $1 billion or even more—the decision to send them halfway around the world under the guise of renovations is, frankly, irresponsible. This move not only deprives the public of access to art they hold dear but also raises serious questions about how these artworks are insured. Are federal funds, such as those provided through the NEA’s Arts & Artifacts Indemnity Program, being used to safeguard these masterpieces, and is that a prudent strategy?
Furthermore, TMA’s community communications have been patchy at best. In the February 8, 2024 Toledo Free Press article, Patrons pay tribute to closed TMA Cloister Gallery, Laurie Bertke wrote, “The biggest two questions on the lips of many visitors included where is it being moved and why. Museum security guards and other employees asked about plans had limited details to share over the weekend.” This lack of transparency, coupled with the secretive nature of these decisions—as evidenced by internal sketches shared at a 2023 symposium—suggests that TMA’s leadership is not engaging the public in decisions that fundamentally affect our community’s cultural legacy.
Regarding the museum’s renovation, the museum”s PR spokesman Doreen Cutway was quoted in the article that while there may be other gallery closures in phases, “the museum’s goal is to keep things on view as much as possible during the process.” Sending off this astounding amount of the best, most beloved paintings en masse all the way across the world is the direct opposite of that promise.
As for the renovations being done to the museum, which seem to entail a complete gutting and redo of this beloved museum, they won’t provide details about the cost of moving the Cloister. It would have to cost several million dollars to move it carefully, and what a waste. As quoted in the Toledo Free Press article, the museum spokesman said, “TMA is privately funded and the project is one small part of the larger reinstallation that is being funded through individual and corporate philanthropy.” However during the past few years, the museum has received over $6 million in grants from the state of Ohio, including a whopping $1.6 grant in this year alone. They also receive money from the NEA and NEH. Not to mention the $3.58 Million Covid relief grant. Edward Drummond Libbey and his wife, Florence Scott Libbey built and endowed this museum for the people of Toledo. Many of the paintings the new director is sending away are gifts of the Libbeys. The Cloisters Gallery was a gift of the Libbeys.
I respectfully urge you to look into these developments. Our state’s cultural institutions are vital to our collective identity, and decisions of this magnitude should not be made without clear public accountability. I ask that your office inquire into whether TMA’s actions align with its legal and fiduciary responsibilities. I ask that you ensure that our public heritage is not sacrificed at the whim of the new and controversial museum director, Adam Levine, who doesn’t seem to like the museum and wants to change everything about it, right down to the “physical studs” of the building itself, as he was quoted saying in a recent Channel 11 news article.
For your reference, please see the following links:
- Auckland Art Gallery Press Release: Auckland Art Gallery Exhibition Announcement
- Toledo Free Press Article: Patrons Pay Tribute to the Closed TMA Cloister Gallery
Thank you for your time and attention to this critical matter. I trust that you share my concern for preserving Toledo’s cultural heritage for current and future generations.
Sincerely,
Penny Gentieu
