While some philanthropists auction off a painting or two for the benefit of their favorite nonprofit organization, advertising tycoon and prominent contemporary art collector Charles Saatchi has seen fit to donate an entire gallery, complete with 200 artworks, to the British public. The Saatchi Gallery, a 70,000-square foot (6,500-square meter) located in Duke of York’s HQ in Chelsea, will soon become the Museum of Contemporary Art, London.
The gallery, which recently made room for a site-specific exhibition of Richard Wilson’s 20:50, first opened in 1985. It has always provided free admission to the general public, and plays host to various special events and exhibitions. Aligned with School of Saatchi, a television program that showcases young aspiring artists, the gallery even includes a dedicated space for Saatchi Online artists to exhibit and sell their work, for which Saatchi does not accept commission.
The Saatchi Gallery was one of the launch pads for the Young British Artists movement of the ’90s, which brought about the creation of “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living.” The 14-foot (4.3 m) tiger shark preserved in a tank of formaldehyde was commissioned by Saatchi and was later sold for $8 million.
To ensure that the government won’t drop the ball, the collection includes other works that can be sold to make new acquisitions.
Saatchi “wants to give London and the country something it wouldn’t have otherwise, which is a very agile collection that can respond quickly to developments in contemporary art from all over the world,” said Rebecca Wilson, associate director of the Saatchi Gallery.
The donation could not have come in a timelier manner. Countries in recovery around the world have been experiencing record budget deficits and, though all sectors are feeling the crush, many governments seem to cut heavily on arts, culture and public attractions. I am hopeful that Saatchi’s vision will set an example for others.
View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about Arts and Culture.