Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Rust Red Hills” seen through Richard Hunt’s stainless steel “Becoming” at the Brauer Museum of Art on the Valparaiso University campus in Valparaiso, Indiana Friday February 10, 2023. Valparaiso University filed a petition Tuesday to move forward with the auction of the three cornerstone works of art from the Brauer Museum to fund freshman dorm renovations, noting a $9 million deficit and declining student enrollment.
“We will continue to take steps that we believe are in the best interest of all our students, in support of our mission and the University’s future — our highest priorities,” Padilla said in the email. According to appraisals received by the university, the fair market value of the O’Keeffe, is estimated at $10.5 million to $15 million; the Hassam, between $1 million and $3.5 million; and the Church at $1 million to $3 million.
The funds would be used to renovate freshman dorms, “and create therein the ‘Sloan Gallery of American Paintings’ in order to directly display other works of the Sloan collection to students, all of which is intended to increase student enrollment and more consistently honor Sloan’s intent of furthering conservative art and art education so far as is possible and as is consistent with the general plans of Valparaiso University.