The General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Fine Arts Program (FAP) recently recovered 48 pieces of New Deal era artwork in Portland, Oregon.
OIG special agents learned that 38 Works Progress Administration (WPA) lithographs were being maintained by a Portland-based curator who feared the artwork would be lost or destroyed. One of the lithographs had been found in a school dumpster in 2008 and turned over to the curator for repair. The remaining 37 lithographs had been neglected in a school basement prior to being handed over to the curator for conservation.
While OIG special agents were visiting the Portland Public School district, they found 10 additional paintings bearing WPA and Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) markings. One painting had been given to the school district as a gift from a private donor. Upon inspection, the agents noticed a brass Federal Art Project label and a WPA sticker on the back of the painting.
From photos taken by OIG special agents, the FAP office was able to determine that all 48 lithographs and paintings were New Deal era artwork, commissioned by the WPA Federal Art Project and PWAP. All of the artwork is now on loan to Portland Public Schools.
