“This underscores how significant Jo was in the gallery,” he said, referring to Josephine Ferguson. “We simply wouldn’t have the strength in the collection we have if it weren’t for her gifts.”
Brauer, who also attended the tour and spoke about Ferguson’s commitment to art as well, has threatened to have his name removed from the museum if the sale goes forward. He and Philipp Brockington, a retired law professor from the now-closed law school, haveA hearing on the lawsuit is slated for 1 p.m. Sept. 27 before Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Thode, in Portage.
“She was extraordinary,” Brauer said of Josephine Ferguson. “When she and her husband retired, they decided they were going to consciously promote the museum. You think, well, that’s a couple, but they multiplied their efforts.”The tour, Canning said, celebrated a couple who found a love of art that was inspired by their time at the university, where the Fergusons met, graduated and later came to work.
John Ruff, along with Brauer, has been one of the most vocal critics of the sale of the paintings, and has been particularly concerned with the damage it could do in discouraging future donations.