Charles Saatchi has announced his intention to give a part of his collection and the Saatchi Gallery to the nation. See Guardian news story and comment by Adrian Searle. Reactions have been mixed. The following comments by Andrew Graham-Dixon are transcribed from BBC Radio 4's Front Row, broadcast on 1st July:
[Kirsty Lang (presenter): It was announced today that Charles Saatchi is gifting over 200 works, and his Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, to the nation, to create a Museum of Contemporary Art… I asked [Andrew Graham-Dixon] for his reaction]
Just too late… I would have had Charles Saatchi’s collection, I would have bitten his hand off in 1987 - this was probably the greatest collection of contemporary art built up by anyone in the second half of the twentieth century…all those Warhols, all those Anselm Kiefers, that extraordinary collection: Bruce Nauman, Sol Lewitt, Carl Andre… incredible. … He’s sold them all… all the pies have been eaten [Kirsty Lang: …but it’s still a pretty impressive list of artists in there...?] No, not really, not for me. No, this is the crumbs on the table after all the pies have been eaten. This is the loose change in the box….It is just a terrible, terrible… shame that the greatest collection of contemporary art that the world has ever seen art was allowed to turn into - talcum powder - just disappear.
Friday, 2 July 2010
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Photographer of the year, 2010 (Press Photographers' Year)
The Libyan leader Colonel Gadaffi stands behind protective glass during a military parade in Green Square, Tripoli on 01 September 2009 © David Bebber of The Times, 'Photograph of the Year' at The Press Photographers' Year (From British Journal of Photography)
Fiona Banner, 1966 -
Fiona Banner has installed a Sea Harrier and a Jaguar in Tate Britain's Duveen Gallery (until 3 February, 2011).
Fiona Banner, Sea Harrier, 2010
See Guardian article (28 June), comment by Adrian Searle, Guardian, 28 June, Guardian gallery of images, and interview with Laura Barnett, Guardian, 21 June. See also: How did Tate Britain hang a Harrier jet?, Guardian, 29 June.
Fiona Banner, Sea Harrier, 2010
See Guardian article (28 June), comment by Adrian Searle, Guardian, 28 June, Guardian gallery of images, and interview with Laura Barnett, Guardian, 21 June. See also: How did Tate Britain hang a Harrier jet?, Guardian, 29 June.