[1][2] Due to the problems surrounding the collection, the museum board ordered an audit of the event and suspended the then-director, Catherine de Zegher, pending this process.
Both mentioned external experts denied having researched the collection[9][10] A former exhibition in France featuring work from the Toporovski's was questioned as well, however in that case, the court had ruled the paintings to be real.
[18] Toporovski claimed that lab research already showed that several works are indeed from the proclaimed area and are thus real, however, no tangible evidence to this effect has so far been made public.
[22] The letter reads: We are appalled to see how one of the preeminent women curators of her generation internationally, a wholly professional and widely acclaimed museum director, has been made the plaything of unscrupulous media and of international speculation in the art of the Russian avantgarde, resulting in a severe media process destroying her work and reputation.
We challenge the local and national authorities concerned on the important issue of having, keeping, protecting and supporting visionary museum directors in their country, remaining independent in their judgement from the pressure media exert and the correlated hype and sensation, and above all from the growing influence of a certain art market linked with finance and power.
[24] During the entire controversy, de Zegher worked closely with reputation manager Ine Mariën (also present at the final press conference).
[20][25][19][26] On November 5, the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CiMAM) issued a statement in support of Catherine de Zegher.
Since January 2018, as part of investigations into the authenticity of a group of Russian modernist works, Ms de Zegher has been subject to a series of accusations that have not been dismissed nor brought to appropriate conclusion.
In expressing its support for Ms de Zegher CIMAM also wishes to defend the principles of integrity and respect for museum professionals globally at a time when museums and their directors are being confronted with pressures from the art market, undue interference from governing bodies, and campaigns based on misinformation[27]Late January 2019, the city of Ghent formally lodged a complaint against de Zegher and the Dieleghem Foundation after strong evidence came to light suggesting documents about the loan - supposedly dating to 2017 and confiscated by the public prosecutor in early 2018 - had been forged.