National Gallery accused of risking ‘bad blood’ with Tate over Twentieth-century artwork | Tate Modern

A call to tear up an settlement between the National Gallery and Tate, which has prevented the National Gallery from amassing works created after 1900, may create “bad blood” and a state of affairs wherein the 2 galleries are “at each other’s throats”, in response to senior sources.

The National Gallery introduced the shift as a part of Project Domani, whereby the 200-year-old establishment will obtain £375m of funding for a brand new wing that can usher in a “new tomorrow”.

Maria Balshaw, the director of Tate, formally welcomed the announcement, saying it was planning to work intently with the National Gallery to “further the national collection as a whole”. A working group that includes employees from each galleries has additionally been established.

But the Guardian understands that behind the scenes, the choice to alter the gathering coverage on the National Gallery is seen by some as a menace to Tate and a shift that might revive an previous rivalry.

One particular person with information of the state of affairs mentioned: “Hats off to [the National Gallery] for getting the money; that type of competition is good. But we have to ensure we do the right thing for the national collection and not something really stupid that’ll have national galleries at each other’s throats because that’s crazy.

“I know £400m sounds like a lot of investment, but one Rothko is £150m: if you want a Basquiat, it’s over £100m. I understand that they’re over the moon with this amount of money, but I just think a reality check in favour of the national collection is important.”

Another supply related to the Tate mentioned: “If the National Gallery collects, there will be competition for acquisition and much bad blood, as in the 1970s.”

However, others concerned at Tate welcomed the transfer. A senior determine, who requested to stay nameless, advised the Guardian: “What the National Gallery wants to do is perfectly understandable – they can’t really just stop right at a certain point as we get further away [from 1900], it starts to become more and more arbitrary.”

The supply mentioned that the National Gallery amassing Twentieth-century work would, if something, have a optimistic influence on Tate, as a result of it principally has “a lot more money at the moment. They can buy those works and share them with Tate”.

Tension existed between Tate and the National Gallery for many years, fuelled by the query of who ought to be allowed to gather “modern” artwork. The two establishments used to compete for a similar works, with the Tate arguing that the cutoff level for the National Gallery ought to be 1900. That place was confirmed in an official settlement in 1996, however that line has by no means sat properly with bosses at Trafalgar Square.

Successive National Gallery administrators have argued that the barrier is bigoted and awkward, that means, for instance, they will embrace the whole lot that impressed cubism however not present any of the work due to when it was created.

When Gabriele Finaldi grew to become director of the National Gallery in 2016, he spoke about his frustration on the Twentieth-century cutoff, saying it was “slightly frustrating to reach 1900 and then not go on”.

On Tuesday Finaldi mentioned the change within the assortment coverage was essential as a result of “as 1900 gets further and further away it will be natural for us to tell the bigger story”.

When requested a couple of attainable “war” between the 2 establishments, Finaldi advised the BBC: “We share the responsibility for a very, very large and significant part of the nation’s art. And it’s natural for us to work together.”

But any flirtation with modernity on the National Gallery raises hackles in some quarters. In 2005, the gallery was criticised for “selling out” when it put in Chris Ofili as its artist in residence – nearly a decade after he received the Turner prize.

In 2009, a brand new settlement between Tate and the National Gallery ensured that the 1900 barrier could be revered after the preliminary 1996 deal ran out. That has held since: Tate Modern has turn out to be the vacation spot for worldwide artwork from 1900, the National Gallery homes worldwide artwork to 1900, and Tate Britain holds British artwork from 1500 to the current day.

That settlement has not all the time been adopted to the letter. The National Gallery already has greater than 40 works made since 1900, with work by Picasso and Cézanne in its assortment. There can be a Richard Long piece from 2025 within the Sainsbury Wing and in 2023 it staged an exhibition or work by Paula Rego.

Tuesday’s announcement raises questions of the place sure Twentieth-century painters would now sit.

A senior Tate determine who spoke to the Guardian used the instance of what would occur to the work of David Hockney now the settlement has been torn up. “Do we want David Hockney to leave his works to Tate for use there and across the country or to the National Gallery?” they requested.

“We must have an agreement for donors and artists about where they leave their work,” mentioned one other supply. “Otherwise, it’s just going to be a complete shambles.”

In a joint assertion, Balshaw, the director of Tate, and Finaldi, the director of the National Gallery, mentioned: “The National Gallery and Tate have established a joint working group and we look forward to fleshing out the details of our new collaboration over the coming months.

“Speaking on behalf of both institutions, we see enormous potential in building this close collaborative relationship, which will undoubtedly be of great benefit to the art-loving public.”