Tate Modern announces a major gift for art dealers

Tate Modern announced that she had received a major gift from some art collectors in the form of a painting by the modern American artist Joan Mitchell.

It was unveiled Thursday as one of the groups of works given by the philanthropists based in Miami, Jorge M and Darlene Pérez.

The six -meter -long triptych, entitled IVA 1973, can now be seen free of charge at the London gallery next to the Seagram wall paintings in Mark Rothko.

Tate director Maria Balshaw said that the gift was “one of the most important” he received, describing the donation as “transformational”.

“Placing such an important and precious work in the hands of audiences is an act of incredible generosity,” said Balshaw.

“It is also an approval of the capacity of Tate to share our collection with the widest possible public,” she added. “And take care of this collection for future generations.”

Mitchell, who would have been 100 this year, was one of the most famous artists in the abstract expressionist movement.

The Minister of Arts, Sir Chris Bryant, said that the “spectacular gift” of the “masterpiece” of Mitchell, who was originally dedicated to his dog, shows “the incredible difference that the generosity of a person can do”.

“I am very grateful for this gift and for the work that has been made possible,” he said.

“We are committed to ensuring that art is for everyone, everywhere and the generosity of the Pérez family guarantees that great art remains accessible to all, while enriching our national collection.”

The Argentine-American businessman, Mr. Pérez, is best known as the president and chief executive officer of the related group, a real estate company based in Miami.

He gave or promised more than $ 100 million (76 million pounds sterling) at the Miami Museum of Public Art, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum Miami in his honor in 2013.

He also founded a non -profit contemporary art space in Miami called El Espacio 23.

Mr. Pérez told BBC News: “We have been talking about Tate for a long time, we are great admirers of the Tate.

“Our hope is always that our art is seen by the greatest number of people. The tate has a huge audience, millions and millions of people arriving.”

He added the work adapted to an exhibition next to other famous artists. “This painting, when you see it next to the Rothko, really sounds,” he said, “and that will be there forever.

“So, when you talk about inheritance, we like to think that our names will not be forgotten and that they will live, not only with the British public, but also with the international public who comes to the tate.

“We hope that that fill a gap in the collection which is very important and perhaps the most important artistic movement in America. He found his house, we are very satisfied here.”

Ms. Pérez noted that female artists “play an important role in training the cultural landscape” and it is therefore “essential that we support and celebrate their contributions”.

“We have long admired the work of Joan Mitchell and are delighted to share IVA with the world through Tate Modern.”

Their gift also includes an endowment of several million dollars to support the search for conservation of Tate.

In addition, a range of works and photographs by artists from all of Africa and the African diaspora – including by Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui and Malick Sidibé – will spend perezes at the Tate collection in the coming years.

Steven Wright additional reports.