Tower Hamlets Council to sell Henry Moore sculpture

[Turboprop]

Tower Hamlets council agree to sell Moore sculpture

By Beth Allcock on October 5, 2012 10:47 AM |
Tagged with:

• draped seated woman,
• henry moore,
  
• lutfur rahman,
  
• mayor,
  
• old flo,
  
• sculpure,
  
• tower hamlets

Councillors in Tower Hamlets have agreed to explore options to sell the borough's Henry Moore Sculpture.
Members of the Cabinet made the decision to sell off the multi-million pound Draped Seated Woman, affectionately known as Old Flo, which is currently on-loan to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
It may now be offered up for auction at Christies as soon as February next year.
One to watch closely I think. It will be a sad day if it is sold, but in the end, people's welfare must come first. As long as ALL the cash raised goes towards the support and well-being of the residents of Tower Hamlets, and Not into the back pockets of unscrupulous people that is.

 

[likesfish]

Total tower hamlets budget is close to a billion 20 million is not exactly going to make a huge impact.
But trying to secure a ton or two of valuable bronze in a public space is a complete ball ache

 

[Firky]

Is the one in Kennington still there? Used to pass it almost every day. Looked odd with yellow signs erected in front of it appealing for witnesses.

 

[Turboprop]

Total tower hamlets budget is close to a billion 20 million is not exactly going to make a huge impact.
But trying to secure a ton or two of valuable bronze in a public space is a complete ball ache

Well, it is on loan to Yorkshire sculpture park, surely they are responsible for the security and insurance. The thing is, it's a case 'out of sight, out of mind', and I wouldn't put it past the council to try to sell it off quietly, and later, it may be difficult to find out where the money has gone. Plus, it was donated on the understanding that it would be displayed in a 'deprived area'. I guess any buyer would have to agree for this to continue, and not hide it in some private collection.

The Council doesn't own the sculpture, if anything it is owned by the residents of Tower Hamlets, so why haven't they been asked if they approve of the sale? Surely they should have some say in this.

 

[likesfish]

possibly but its now gone from being a nice bit of public art to being a a problem scumbags look at it and think £30000 barstards .

I guess a compromise would be get some similar public art that isnt an immediate magnet for scumbags to turn into scrap

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Total tower hamlets budget is close to a billion 20 million is not exactly going to make a huge impact.
But trying to secure a ton or two of valuable bronze in a public space is a complete ball ache

Can't they just plonk a massive luminous green CCTV camera next to it?

 

[Balbi]

Northampton's museum had an egyptian statue that had been donated to the collection by some mucky muck a long time ago. It turned out to be worth 2 million. So, they're selling it. Ffs.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

By that logic we should just be flogging off the entire contents of all museums. We would simultaneously be raising funds whilst lowering the overheads of having to look after them. Admit it, we need to have sustainable financing in the Museum sector and this solution is perfect. What could be more sustainable than not having to look after anything ever?

 

[likesfish]

Can't they just plonk a massive luminous green CCTV camera next to it?

They did but it costs money and is a constant source of stress when moore sold/gave them the it nobody would have dreamed of nicking it to melt it down for scrap
Cctv might tell you who nicked it but its not infalliable would you want to be responsible for losing a £20 million quid statue

 

[ViolentPanda]

By that logic we should just be flogging off the entire contents of all museums. We would simultaneously be raising funds whilst lowering the overheads of having to look after them. Admit it, we need to have sustainable financing in the Museum sector and this solution is perfect. What could be more sustainable than not having to look after anything ever?

Don't give the coalition ideas, eh lad?

 

[Dan U]

Total tower hamlets budget is close to a billion 20 million is not exactly going to make a huge impact.
But trying to secure a ton or two of valuable bronze in a public space is a complete ball ache

it is also one of the most deprived authorities in the UK with one of the fastest (iirc the fastest growing) populations in England and Wales and a faster than average growing prevalence of disabilities. It also is unique in London that it doesn't charge for services.

normally i would be pretty annoyed at stuff like this but in current circumstances they are being pragmatic - this is a statue that hasn't been in london for years. it is not ideal, but given the grants handed down from central govt what else can they do?

 

[maldwyn]

Wasn't the work donated by Moore to the people? LBTH shouldn't have the right to sell it, let it stay in yorkshire.

 

[Turboprop]

it is also one of the most deprived authorities in the UK with one of the fastest (iirc the fastest growing) populations in England and Wales and a faster than average growing prevalence of disabilities. It also is unique in London that it doesn't charge for services.

normally i would be pretty annoyed at stuff like this but in current circumstances they are being pragmatic - this is a statue that hasn't been in london for years. it is not ideal, but given the grants handed down from central govt what else can they do?

As long as any money from the sale stays/is spent in the borough fair enough. But £20m is a huge amount of money, and the possibility is there for some of it not being used for the benefit of all. After all, the sculpture was there for the benefit of all, wasn't it? If the sale goes ahead, perhaps a close eye needs to be kept on what happens to the proceeds.

 

[kenny g]

First they went for the lap dancing clubs, then they went for the sculptures. Don't LBTH have any idea of culture at all?

 

[maldwyn]

The sculpture was bought by the old London county council in 1962 for £6,000. It was a bargain even then but Moore, a lifelong socialist who took a keen interest in public art and where his works were sited, wanted it to be seen in a poor area. So for 35 years it became the surprising centrepiece of the Stifford Estate, overshadowed by tower blocks. Ownership passed to the Greater London council and then to Tower Hamlets when the GLC was abolished. Due to concerns about vandalism the sculpture was loaned to theYorkshire Sculpture Park, 200 miles away.

Guardian

 

[chard]

Here's a link to a walk of all 8 public Moore's in London - http://christt.com/words/henry-moore-walk/

and a photo of the one on Brandon Estate just by the park.

 

[redsquirrel]

it is also one of the most deprived authorities in the UK with one of the fastest (iirc the fastest growing) populations in England and Wales and a faster than average growing prevalence of disabilities. It also is unique in London that it doesn't charge for services.

normally i would be pretty annoyed at stuff like this but in current circumstances they are being pragmatic - this is a statue that hasn't been in london for years. it is not ideal, but given the grants handed down from central govt what else can they do?

Oh come on, are you really so naive that you think that any of the money raised from the selling off of this statue is going to benefit the population of Tower Hamlets.

Your above argument is pathetic, "oohh we all have to make hard choice and tighten our belts" fuck that bullshit, and fuck the councils implementing the cuts. Your supporting the austerity agenda.

 

[maldwyn]

Looks like the council leader has decided to sell.

Lutfur Rahman, the independent mayor of the borough, overruled the recommendation of his councillors that Draped Seated Woman– which could fetch up to £20m – should not be sold. Rushanara Ali, the Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, said Rahman was "going against the desires of the over 1,500 people who have signed the petition [against the sale] in just a few days".

Guardian

 

[rover07]

Shockingly bad sculptures.

I'd be surprised if they get more than their scrap value.

 

[Turboprop]

Shockingly bad sculptures.

I'd be surprised if they get more than their scrap value.

I don't really care what it sell's for, just make sure the proceeds (estimated £20million at auction) benefit the people in the borough.

Love, Turboprop.

 

[maldwyn]

To lose one public artwork may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two — in the same week — looks worse than simple carelessness.

Londonist

 

[cesare]

Fucking Rahman

 

[maldwyn]

New twist, does old flo actually belong to Bromley?

Stephen Deuchar, director of the Art Fund said: "This new evidence that ownership of the sculpture rests with the London Borough of Bromley should bring to an end Tower Hamlets' cavalier plans to sell it. This can only be good news and we look forward to discussing next steps in the near future with Bromley so that Old Flo can stay where she belongs – in public ownership and on public display."

Guardian

 

[Pickman's model]

I've never previously felt any affection for bromley

 

[Pickman's model]

Oh come on, are you really so naive that you think that any of the money raised from the selling off of this statue is going to benefit the population of Tower Hamlets.

Your above argument is pathetic, "oohh we all have to make hard choice and tighten our belts" fuck that bullshit, and fuck the councils implementing the cuts. Your supporting the austerity agenda.

What benefits rahman benefits tower hamlets as a whole