Art On The Waves

The Guardian reports that at a time when the Tate has had a record year for acquisitions, bringing works valued at £63.1m into its collection, the UK's most important art institution is poised to push the power of its brand to new levels of domination. Nor will it be limiting its reach to dry land. In a three-year deal with P&O, a scheme called Tate Cruises has recently been established, with passengers idling around the Mediterranean or the Baltic being lectured to by Tate experts. "It is a good opportunity to develop new audiences," said the Tate's director of media, Will Gompertz, adding that the outreach programme was "also financially beneficial to Tate". That might mean sending more works out on loan, according to Tate director Nicholas Serota, or working in partnership with galleries such as the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham or Mima in Middlesbrough. The recent gift of 725 works of contemporary art from former art dealer Anthony D'Offay will also tour around the country from 2009. The Tate's stupendous acquisitions in the past financial year also included the Sainsbury bequest of 18 masterpieces to the National Gallery and Tate. In addition, Damien Hirst gave four works and Louise Bourgeois donated her giant spider sculpture, Maman. There was also a bequest of a Stanley Spencer and a Bacon, Figures in a Garden, from c1936. The past year has also seen Serota's contract, which was due to have expired in 2009, extended indefinitely - a mark of his successful tenure, the only threat to which is the problem of raising £215m to build the projected Tate Modern extension by 2012 in a shaky economic climate. Only £70m has so far been pledged, and the Tate yesterday refused to commit itself to completing the landmark building, by architects Herzog and De Meuron, in time for the Olympics. But if the project failed to go ahead, said Myners, it would be "a blow to the nation". (For full source and full article click the Headline). Irish Art