http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/30/arts/design/miro-collection-to-stay-in-portugal.html 2016-09-29 19:37:37 After Outcry, Miró Collection to Stay in Portugal The art became a national controversy in 2014 when the government announced its sale via Christie’s in London; it goes on display Saturday in Porto. === MADRID — Portugal’s government has decided to keep a collection of works by the artist Joan Miró, more than two years after the pieces set off António Costa, Portugal’s prime minister, said at a news conference this week that the works would stay in the city of Porto. For now the collection will be on display in The fate of the Miró collection turned into a national controversy in early 2014 after the government at the time announced the sale of the collection through Christie’s in London. The government said that it hoped to raise at least $50 million from the sale of more than 80 works as part of a program to divest state assets to help clean Portugal’s balance sheet and meet the terms of a bailout agreed to with international creditors. But the auction was canceled amid legal action and fierce protests led by opposition politicians. Museum directors and other culture officials also argued that such a collection formed part of the nation’s artistic heritage and could not be sold overseas. The Miró collection became state property when the government was forced to seize control of Banco Português de Negócios, which was crippled by debt and management irregularities. The bank acquired the artwork from a private Japanese collection before the 2008 financial crisis, which eventually forced Portugal to seek an international bailout.