Saatchi Art For Rent

Charles Saatchi, owner of Britain’s most famous contemporary art collection, is offering to rent 600 of his works to businessmen for their offices or homes. Prints by Damien Hirst, vases by the “pornographic potter” Grayson Perry and photographs by Tracey Emin are among 600a rt works the advertising millionaire is offering to rent in a new 393-page catalogue. Prices range from £7,000 a year for the loan of five items to £20,000 for 20 objects. Experts estimated today that the project could earn Saatchi £150,000 per annum. Saatchi, who is opening a new gallery in Chelsea next year, owns around 2,000 works, valued last year at £140 million. Iconic pieces such as Tracey Emin’s soiled bed are not available and many of the pieces for hire are relatively minor. But one controversial object on offer is a painting of Diana, the Princess of Wales, with blood dripping from her lips, by Stella Vine. A Saatchi spokesman said: “Our corporate sponsors regularly express interest in borrowing works from the gallery so we put together a book to make life easier for them to see what they would be interested in displaying in their headquarters’ buildings.” For the full story - click the title Irish Art