Wal-Mart Heiress Wants Stake in Fisk Art

Alice Walton, daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, has expressed interest in purchasing half of Fisk University’s art collection that was donated by Georgia O’Keeffe. The two most famous paintings have been the center of controversy as the school has attempted to sell them to make some much needed cash.

The school has reached a deal with the O’Keeffe Museum that still hasn’t gone before a judge. The school would get 7.5-million dollars for one painting and sell another on the open market.

If that deal falls through, Walton has offered 30-million dollars to have the 101-piece collection housed half the time at the new Crystal Bridges Museum of Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Walton sent a letter to Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper last week. He’s a third part in negotiations between Fisk and the O’Keeffe Museum. He replied with a letter (yesterday/Monday) that said if the current deal falls through, he’d prefer to keep the art in Nashville if at all possible.