Sculptor Anish Kapoor has been appointed a trustee of the Tate, replacing Chris Ofili, whose four-year term expired at the end of November. The announcement was made by the prime minister’s office on 21 December. Born in Bombay, Kapoor moved to Britain in 1972 and won the Turner Prize in 1991.
Following the controversy over Tate’s purchase of Chris Ofili’s The upper room, the Tate is likely to be sensitive in handling potential acquisitions by Kapoor. The Tatealready owns 50 of his works, including many on paper. He has made one donation, Untitled of 1990, a gouache given the following year. The Tate’s most recent Kapoor acquisition was Ishi’s light, presented by Tate International Council in August 2005.
Kapoor has also responded to the recent appeal to artists to donate works and he is currently fabricating a sculpture which should be completed later this year.
Meanwhile, the Charity Commission is looking into the Tate’s purchase of Ofili’s The upper room. Last month the Charity Commission issued a statement: “The trustees of the Tate have now approached the Commission for its views of the legal status of the acquisition of works of art from serving trustees which have been made in recent years and in particular...Ofili’s The upper room. They have also sought the Commission’s assistance in validating these decisions, should this be necessary.”
Originally appeared in the Art Newspaper as 'Kapoor succeeds Ofili'