A raft of new international partnerships forged by Tate in the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and Asia does not mean the countries involved will be stripped of their artistic heritage, said Tate director Nicholas Serota.
The international networks established, along with a new programme of African art acquisitions, are part of long-term plans to broaden Tate’s collecting beyond Europe and North America.
It has secured sponsorship from the Guaranty Trust Bank for its African initiative. This includes a two-year project entitled Across the Board, which involves a series of performances, public art interventions and debates featuring emerging artists in Douala in Cameroon, Lagos in Nigeria and Accra in Ghana.
Next summer, Tate Modern will dedicate a wing of its galleries to Beninese artist Meschac Gaba and Sudanese Ibrahim El-Salahi.
“We are not removing works,” said Serota at the project launch. “London has a diverse population and we address that population. Art cannot be defined by national boundaries.”
Elvira Dyangani Ose, who holds Tate’s new curatorial post focusing on African art, argued that the move was about putting African art in the mainstream.
“We are not interested in creating Tate franchises in Africa or anywhere else,” added Serota.
Acquisition committees have also been created for south Asia and Russia, and eastern Europe.
A new scheme focused on South America includes exhibition collaborations with the Pinacoteca do Estado museum in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
A show devoted to the late Latin American artist Mira Schendel, due to open at Tate Modern late next year, is part of the initiative.
A training programme to support the new National Museum in Oman has been developed by Tate and Oman’s ministry of heritage and culture. It will be launched next year.
The international networks established, along with a new programme of African art acquisitions, are part of long-term plans to broaden Tate’s collecting beyond Europe and North America.
It has secured sponsorship from the Guaranty Trust Bank for its African initiative. This includes a two-year project entitled Across the Board, which involves a series of performances, public art interventions and debates featuring emerging artists in Douala in Cameroon, Lagos in Nigeria and Accra in Ghana.
Next summer, Tate Modern will dedicate a wing of its galleries to Beninese artist Meschac Gaba and Sudanese Ibrahim El-Salahi.
“We are not removing works,” said Serota at the project launch. “London has a diverse population and we address that population. Art cannot be defined by national boundaries.”
Elvira Dyangani Ose, who holds Tate’s new curatorial post focusing on African art, argued that the move was about putting African art in the mainstream.
“We are not interested in creating Tate franchises in Africa or anywhere else,” added Serota.
Acquisition committees have also been created for south Asia and Russia, and eastern Europe.
A new scheme focused on South America includes exhibition collaborations with the Pinacoteca do Estado museum in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
A show devoted to the late Latin American artist Mira Schendel, due to open at Tate Modern late next year, is part of the initiative.
A training programme to support the new National Museum in Oman has been developed by Tate and Oman’s ministry of heritage and culture. It will be launched next year.