Normally, a print of hers would sell for thousands of dollars, but this time, the sales went to charitable causes. To Ms. Scruggs, the intention behind donating her work was to put art in the hands of people who weren’t typically able to afford it. The Whitney, Ms. Scruggs reasoned, was able to afford it. The process also seemed unreasonable to some because many artists are in tough financial straits during the pandemic and need the paid work now more than ever. “If you actually took me and any of the other photographers you ‘acquired’ seriously as artists,” Ms. Scruggs wrote in the email to Mr. Wahbeh, “you would never have pulled something as manipulative, offensive, and cheap as what you’re trying to do.”

Source: New York Times August 25, 2020 21:36 UTC