The Business of Art

BE460

Faculty Curators: Thomas Buchmueller (Ross School of Business); Jennifer Carty (Curator of Art in Public Spaces, UMMA)

Curated by Laura De Becker, Chief Curator, David Choberka, Mellon Foundation Curator for University Learning and Programs, and and Jennifer Carty, Curator of Art in Public Spaces

On view: Fall 2025 and Spring 2026

Organized around a groundbreaking new course co-taught by U-M’s Curator of Art in Public Spaces, Jennifer Carty and Ross School of Business Professor Tom Buchmueller, this installation offers a glimpse behind the scenes of how museum collections grow and evolve and provides students with real-life experience navigating the art market.

Throughout Fall 2025, students in the course will investigate the economics, ethics, and strategies of acquiring art. Their final projects will take the form of acquisition proposals presented to UMMA’s curatorial team, and at least one student-selected work will be purchased and added to this installation and the Museum’s permanent collection.

Blending past and present, business and art, this exhibition documents that acquisition journey in real time — from the historical foundation of UMMA’s collection to the students’ bold, informed proposals for the future.