Aaron De Groft, the former executive director of the Orlando Museum of Art, has passed away at the age of 59. His death occurred last weekend after a brief illness, as confirmed by the Neptune Society, a cremation service provider. His wife, Kathryn Lee De Groft, also submitted an obituary to local media. The museum expressed its condolences in a statement, emphasizing that their thoughts are with his family during this challenging time.
De Groft’s tenure as the head of the museum commenced in 2021, following various administrative roles in art institutions across Jacksonville, Sarasota, and Williamsburg, Virginia. He was instrumental in organizing an exhibition featuring over two dozen artworks that allegedly originated from an old storage unit. These works were said to have been discovered years after the passing of renowned artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who succumbed to a drug overdose in 1988 at the young age of 27. Basquiat gained fame in the 1980s and was a key figure in the neo-Expressionism movement.
However, the authenticity of these artworks came under scrutiny shortly after their claimed discovery in 2012. Experts noted discrepancies, including the use of FedEx typeface on the cardboard of one artwork, which didn’t come into use until 1994—significantly after Basquiat’s death in 1988, as per a federal warrant issued during the museum’s raid. The owner of the storage locker where the art was found, television writer Thad Mumford, informed authorities that he had never owned any Basquiat works and that those pieces were not present when he last inspected the unit before his death in 2018.
Despite the growing skepticism surrounding the artworks during his management, De Groft contended that they were genuine. A federal search warrant revealed that he had engaged in an email exchange with an academic art expert who preferred not to be associated with the exhibit. In his correspondence, De Groft reportedly urged her to remain silent and suggested that he could inform her employer about the $60,000 she received to produce a report on the artwork.
In 2022, an FBI raid of the museum resulted in the seizure of the disputed paintings. Following the fallout, former Los Angeles auctioneer Michael Barzman entered a guilty plea to charges related to false statements to the FBI, admitting that he and another person were involved in creating the counterfeit works and misattributing them to Basquiat.
Legal actions ensued, with the Orlando Museum of Art suing De Groft for fraud, breach of contract, and conspiracy. In response, De Groft initiated a countersuit against the museum, alleging wrongful termination and breach of contract, asserting that he was being unfairly blamed for the incident. According to his court documents, he stated that the board chairwoman and the museum’s external legal advisors had authorized the exhibition even after the FBI had requested records in July 2021.
De Groft leaves behind his wife and two children. The museum has refrained from discussing litigation matters further and has opted to focus on its operations at this time.
