Moderna Museet director approved loan of paintings to New York commercial gallery, report says

First, the museum director was allowed to live in gallery owner Per Skarstedt's house on Long Island. Then the Moderna Museet lent works to his commercial gallery in New York.

The state-owned Moderna Museet's regulations state that the collections are owned by the Swedish people and that the museum does not grant loans to commercial galleries.

Skarstedt Gallery's loan application was considered at the museum's loan meeting in June 2025 - and was rejected.

But then Ørskou made a different decision. In her capacity as director, she granted the loans in the form of two paintings by Fernand Léger.

Last week, Gitte Ørskou left the Moderna Museet when her appointment expired.