London, UK: African art show ends in standoff over bill
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Mark Durney
May 28, 2011, 10:40:11 PM5/28/11
to museum_secu...@googlegroups.com
African art show ends in standoff over bill
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/028e9828-888f-11e0-afe1-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1NhlrJBo4
ByWilliam Wallis in London
Published: May 27 2011 22:33 | Last updated: May 28 2011 09:03
More than 100 of the world’s leading black artists have spent months fighting for the return of artworks they lent to Senegal for a landmark exhibition of contemporary African and diaspora art.
Hundreds of pieces exhibited at the World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar in December should have been returned by February. Instead, they are being held uninsured by LP Art, the Paris-based fine art handlers, because of a dispute over the size of the bill.
The artists include established names such as the US sculptor Mel Edwards, up-and-coming British Trinidadian Zak Ové and William Kentridge, the South African draughtsman and animator.
Sokari Douglas-Camp, the award-winning sculptor whose £23,000 “School Run” is among the missing pieces, said it was equivalent to the contents of the Venice Biennale being hijacked.
William Webber of the Art Loss Register, the global database of stolen or missing artwork, said it was unprecedented for an entire exhibition to be held in this way.
LP Art said it had not returned the art because the government-backed organisers had failed to pay its invoices.
Syndiely Wade, the Senegalese president’s daughter and deputy director of the festival, said the delays were caused by a dispute over LP Art’s charges.
The total bill comes to €709,000. LP Art said it had agreed a lower price in January but had not been able to contact Ms Wade since.
Audio slideshow
William Wallis looks at the sour aftermath of December’s World Festival of Black Art for artists still awaiting the return of their work
In an appeal for the intervention of President Abdoulaye Wade, Yinka Shonibare, the celebrated British-Nigerian artist whose “Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle” sits in London’s Trafalgar Square, said: “You bestowed me with the highest honour given by your country, the National Order of the Lion. I publicly renounce your award if you fail to restore your good name.”
Numerous other artists said their work had been due in shows or with collectors. Through an adviser, President Wade said he was not aware of the controversy until informed by the Financial Times. He said any debts would be settled immediately after an audit of LP Art’s invoices.
Abdou Aziz Sow, the festival’s administrator, accused the company of holding the art “to ransom” but said they would be paid by mid-June.
The festival brought together 6,000 African and diaspora artists across disciplines and although beset by organisational glitches, was hailed as a triumph of talent and diversity.
“The Black World Arts Festival was meant to herald a new beginning for black history and identity,” Mr Shonibare said. “Instead, through mismanagement, it has caused countless visual artists personal and economic distress.”
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/028e9828-888f-11e0-afe1-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1NhlrJBo4
ByWilliam Wallis in London
Published: May 27 2011 22:33 | Last updated: May 28 2011 09:03
More than 100 of the world’s leading black artists have spent months fighting for the return of artworks they lent to Senegal for a landmark exhibition of contemporary African and diaspora art.
Hundreds of pieces exhibited at the World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar in December should have been returned by February. Instead, they are being held uninsured by LP Art, the Paris-based fine art handlers, because of a dispute over the size of the bill.
The artists include established names such as the US sculptor Mel Edwards, up-and-coming British Trinidadian Zak Ové and William Kentridge, the South African draughtsman and animator.
Sokari Douglas-Camp, the award-winning sculptor whose £23,000 “School Run” is among the missing pieces, said it was equivalent to the contents of the Venice Biennale being hijacked.
William Webber of the Art Loss Register, the global database of stolen or missing artwork, said it was unprecedented for an entire exhibition to be held in this way.
LP Art said it had not returned the art because the government-backed organisers had failed to pay its invoices.
Syndiely Wade, the Senegalese president’s daughter and deputy director of the festival, said the delays were caused by a dispute over LP Art’s charges.
The total bill comes to €709,000. LP Art said it had agreed a lower price in January but had not been able to contact Ms Wade since.
Audio slideshow
William Wallis looks at the sour aftermath of December’s World Festival of Black Art for artists still awaiting the return of their work
In an appeal for the intervention of President Abdoulaye Wade, Yinka Shonibare, the celebrated British-Nigerian artist whose “Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle” sits in London’s Trafalgar Square, said: “You bestowed me with the highest honour given by your country, the National Order of the Lion. I publicly renounce your award if you fail to restore your good name.”
Numerous other artists said their work had been due in shows or with collectors. Through an adviser, President Wade said he was not aware of the controversy until informed by the Financial Times. He said any debts would be settled immediately after an audit of LP Art’s invoices.
Abdou Aziz Sow, the festival’s administrator, accused the company of holding the art “to ransom” but said they would be paid by mid-June.
The festival brought together 6,000 African and diaspora artists across disciplines and although beset by organisational glitches, was hailed as a triumph of talent and diversity.
“The Black World Arts Festival was meant to herald a new beginning for black history and identity,” Mr Shonibare said. “Instead, through mismanagement, it has caused countless visual artists personal and economic distress.”
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages