Our International team of the «Ros Tapestry Lovers» has realised enquiries concerning the Board of Directors of the Ros Tapestry. We are enclosing a summary of several well-established facts.
- It appears for instance that the Board of the Ros Tapestry Project has introduced recently, by co-optation, without regular Annual General Meeting and elections as it is specified in the Acts of the Company, as well as all associations, a great number of new Directors. These Directors have been nominated whereas they were not involved in the Project during the last 14 years,
- With that new Board, the Memorandum and Acts of the Company have been modified, without regular AGM, allowing to dismiss as a member the creator of the Ros Tapestry, Countess Ann Bernstorff,
- The Board has refused Alexis Bernstorff, the Artistic Director of the Ros Tapestry during 14 years, working on a voluntary basis during the last four years, to be a Director. The Board has even also dismissed Alexis Bernstorff as a member of the Company,
- The Board has not accepted to nominate as members of the Company all the 180 stitchers who were brought together, trained and guided by Alexis Bernstorff,
- The Board has refused to apply in several occasions the Ann Bernstorff’s copyright on her work, in contradiction with the Irish Copyright Legislation, (articles 107 and 109),
- The Board has decided to introduce in the Ros Tapestry, devoted to the arrival of Normans in Ireland, a new and irrelevant panel called “Unity Panel”, without the approval of the Ros Tapestry artist. It damages the artistic work and the reputation of the artist,
- The Board has refused the Irish Television to give an interview with Ann Bernstorff, and even asked, by letter, Ann Bernstorff to have the permission of the Board to be able to speak of her work and the historical studies she has undertaken!….. …….
About management and financial activities many dysfunctions were also discovered:
- A previous chairman of the Company has negotiated a lease in the past (2008), with the landlord of the exhibition building, “Priory Court”. It imposed an annual rent, up to around 100000 euros per year. The actual chairman of the Ros Tapestry Company was a solicitor of the landlord. That rent was obviously much higher than the possible income due to the exhibition visitors. Therefore, all sponsorships given for the achievement of the panels were rapidly wasted. A previous chairman had refused a proposal for a suitable other exhibition building which was three times less expensive. That proposal could have saved the Ros Tapestry Company budget.
- No advertising of the Ros Tapestry were proposed in the guide books used by tourists, as we have observed in some foreign countries, contrary to the Dunbrody ship, which is not the main artistic realization in Ireland, in contrast with the Ros Tapestry,
- After a financial disaster, and continuous debts mentioned in the official CRO report, the Ros Tapestry has now the obligation to be exhibited in a narrow corridor.
This is a shame for New Ross, but also a shame for Ireland.
……
The international team of the Ros Tapestry Lovers, as well as for all citizens, respectful of democratic rules, disapprove in strongest terms such behaviour. Finally, a total inefficient management of the Company is demonstrated during many years.
Our international team has for mission to protect the history and imagery of the Ros Tapestry and will act in this way against any action from the Board that affect the preservation of the Ros Tapestry, as listed in this open letter.
The team of the Ros Tapestry Lovers
rostapestrylovers.com
PS. We are not Irish citizens. It is clear that the artists, creators of the Ros Tapestry, are not involved in that letter and campaign.
Cc. Ann Bernstorff.
