Charles Saatchi, The British Art Collector who discovered the likes of Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, will donate his London gallery and more than 200 works valued at £37 million ($52 million) to the nation. He announced Thursday, that The gallery located in Chelsea, will change it’s name to MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art, London) The permanent collection includes Richard Wilson’s “Oil Room” installation, Tracey Emin’s signature work,“ My Bed” and the Chapman Brothers ” Tragic Anatomies” an installation comprising mutated mannequins frolicking in a garden.
One question remains,is there a catch? First off I’m not sure the re-branding of The Saatchi Gallery as The Museum of Contemporary Art, London is not treading on the blistered toes of the struggling ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) Is there an ulterior motive somewhere? Time will also reveal the terms and conditions of the gift.Hopefully this skeptic will remain impressed by the grand gesture. Please leave your comments below.
A spokesperson said that the exact synchronization of the gift would depend on the results of the negotiations with various British governmental services that would run the gallery and have responsibility for the collection. It is not known exactly when Saatchi, one of the most powerful figures in the art world would stand aside as director. Saatchi considers the new museum of contemporary art, a living collection. The work will continue to evolve rather than rather remain an historical document of art in context. Beside the permanent collection, the gift will include many works, which the management of the museum will be allowed to trade, using the incomes to acquire new works.
The current gallery opened in 2008 in Chelsea exposing emerging artists from India, China and the Middle East to the London and international art scene. Saatchi’s announcement is a push for the arts in a community that ‘is worried about government cuts under David Cameron’s new Conservative-Liberal coalition. All ministries will have to reduce budgets by 25 percent to eliminate the countries record deficit.
Rebecca Wilson, associated director of the Saatchi gallery said Saatchi; wants to give London and the country something different. It is a very special agile collection that can respond quickly to developments in contemporary art from all over the world.”
The owner of the building on London’s Kings Road indicated it hoped that the new museum would remain in same place; for the foreseeable future.”