Calls for Art Market to Create Standards Association

“We should police ourselves,
otherwise outsiders will who do not 

understand the subtleties of the art market.”

Speaking at  the art fair in Maastricht ['Taming the Beast: Professionalising the Art World'], chairman of The Art Loss Register Julian Radcliffe has argued that an art trade-wide association regulating standards and ethics should be launched (Laura Chesters, 'TEFAF Talk: Calls for art market to create standards association' Antiques Trade Gazette 15 Feb 2018). Radcliffe  suggested that the UK could take the lead internationally:

We need a publication of standards, and mandate a certain level of training. When there are near-misses it should be reported, anonymised and circulated so others can learn from it.” Radcliffe said the industry should take the lead. He criticised the existing associations in the art world and said they have conflicts of interest because they represent their members and try to regulate them. [...] Radcliffe warned that if standards do not improve further the art market will “lose the ability to influence government”.

Also on the panel of speakers, art consultant Sara Pearce warned: “We should police ourselves, otherwise outsiders will who do not understand the subtleties of the art market.”  I really do not share the optimism that the UK 'can' led on this, it has done precious little to justify the optimism. Neither fdo I see anything is gained by not naming and shaming those guilty of the sub-standard deeds euphemised as  'near misses'. Yes, certain sectors of the art market should now lose the ability to influence government.