Hours after the task force formed by the Orlando Museum of Art in the wake of this summer’s Basquiat scandal revealed multiple trustees would be leaving the institution’s board, the museum announced that interim executive director Luder Whitlock had resigned.
Whitlock had come aboard just six weeks ago after the departure of director Aaron De Groft, who had brought the “Heroes & Monsters” exhibition to the museum in February. That exhibition’s art, purportedly by Jean-Michel Basquiat, was seized by the FBI in June as part of a longtime investigation.
“As a well-known community member, Dr. Whitlock’s availability as a resource and guide to the Museum family has been very much appreciated,” the museum wrote in an unsigned statement. “The Board would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to Dr. Whitlock for stepping up during our two times of need, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Whitlock had previously served as an interim director after Glen Gentele resigned in 2020 following clashes with staff.
The museum did not give any reason for Whitlock’s departure; a message to him seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Hours earlier, a statement from trustees Mark Elliott and Nancy Wolf provided the first public revelation of the task force’s actions — a review of the museum’s bylaws, which were updated in April. Wolf and Elliott lead the task force, which was formed to examine the museum’s policies and procedures related to vetting exhibitions.
The FBI’s investigation of “Heroes & Monsters” found discrepancies in the works’ provenance that cast doubt on their authenticity. Board chair Cynthia Brumback has said despite an FBI subpoena months before the exhibit opening, trustees were persuaded by De Groft that the art was legitimate.
The bylaws review found that “several members of our Board of Trustees had reached or exceeded their length of service limits,” the statement said. Under the bylaws, trustees can serve a maximum of nine years or three consecutive terms.
“We wish to thank these trustees for their decades of continuous service,” the statement continued.
The task-force leaders did not say which trustees were affected, and as of Wednesday afternoon the museum had removed its list of trustees from its website. A review of the nonprofit’s annual reports and IRS filings, however, indicates those likely to have left the board include five trustees most recently listed as officers.
Ted R. Brown, Carolyn Fennell, Patrick J. Knipe, Sibille Hart Pritchard and Winifred Sharpe all are listed as trustees in documentation dating back to 2012 — putting them at or over the nine-year limit. Messages left with them seeking confirmation of their departures from the board were not returned. Neither were messages left with Elliott.
The museum has not revealed how big the task force is or who serves on it, beyond Elliott and Wolf.
“As a result of our work, assisted by an outside law firm, we have learned more facts and details,” Wednesday’s statement said. “We continue to work judiciously and hope to have a report to the board by the end of September.”
No additional information on what “facts and details” have come to light, or what outside law firm is assisting in the investigation, was provided. Elliott is a lawyer with his own Orlando-based firm.
Whitlock, 82, had previously served as executive director of the CNL Charitable Foundation and Seneff Family Foundation. He came out of retirement to help the museum and said when he accepted the interim role in July that the museum was “a pivotal institution in Orlando’s art community near and dear to my heart.”
In recent weeks, Whitlock had been meeting with museum supporters and officials such as Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Jerry Demings to rebuild trust and repair relations with the community, according to those involved in the meetings.
Whitlock was leading the museum with Joann Walfish, the museum’s chief financial officer and interim chief operating officer, who remains with the institution.
Wednesday’s resignation announcement said the board would form a committee and employ a professional search firm to look for a permanent CEO and executive director.
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