Highlights among this biennium's acquisitions
include Joshua Reynolds, Colonel Acland and Lord Sydney: The Archers,
1769; Richard Parkes Bonington, French Coast with Fisherman,
1826; Francis Picabia, Otaïti, 1930; Chris Ofili, The
Upper Room, 1999–2002; Gilbert & George, Fates, 2005;
Michelangelo Pistoletto, Venus of the Rags, 1967,1974.
Significant groups of works were also acquired from a number of artists,
including Francis Alÿs, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Martin Kippenberger,
John Latham and Lawrence Weiner, with the aim of representing their
work in depth.
Over the period 2004–6 Tate acquired over 500 works and over 30
entered the displays as long loans. £12.6 million was spent on
acquisitions, of which £9.6 million came from sources other than
General Funds, and works to the value of £7.4 million were received
through gift and bequest. Tate’s acquisition programme was generously
supported by, among others, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the
Heritage Lottery Fund and the Art Fund. Groups associated with Tate,
including Tate Members, Tate Patrons and the American Fund, also played
a crucial role in helping Tate strengthen and extend its holdings.
Progress was made in meeting strategic aims in each area of the Collection. Of particular success was the acquisition of works by key figures in British art from the 1960s to the 1990s previously not represented, and a reinforcement of Tate’s holdings of Arte Povera art and post-1970 European art. Special attention was also paid to improving holdings of photography and artists’ films and to representing contemporary art practice from around the world. The Latin American Acquisitions Committee supported the acquisition of twelve Latin American works, including a major installation by Guillermo Kuitca. Tate’s representation of Canadian art was much strengthened by the addition of key works by Jeff Wall, Stan Douglas and Rodney Graham, while at the same time Tate began to take steps towards collecting contemporary art from the Asia-Pacific region.
Tate Archive continued to develop its holdings across all areas of its remit. Larger acquisitions included the complete archives of Audio Arts magazine, from the magazine’s creator, Bill Furlong; the complete archive of Ian Breakwell, generously donated by the artist not long before his death in 2005; and a fine archive of material given by the estate of the painter Prunella Clough. Among other artists’ papers acquired were Tate’s first significant representation of the artist Stanley Hayter and additional material for the archives of Barbara Hepworth, Paule Vézelay and Robin Crozier. Commercial galleries were further represented and Tate continued to develop its holdings of items by critics and art historians, including the addition of papers from JP Hodin.
