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Saatchi to hire out art collection
Evening Standard26 Sep 2006
Charles Saatchi has set up a scheme to rent artwork from his collection to businesses and wealthy individuals.
After a series of requests from corporations the millionaire art collector has published a catalogue of 600 pieces for hire.
Some of the most famous names in British contemporary art are among the 140 artists whose work is included in the list.
The catalogue is reported to include Tracey Emin's set of photographs I've Got It All, 12 watercolours by Chris Ofili, Woman Reading Possession Order by Tom Hunter and two Damien Hirst spot prints. Stella Vine's portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales and pots by Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry are also on offer.
Prices range from £7,000 to loan five works for a year to £20,000 to hire 20 for the same period.
It is estimated that £150,000 a year would be generated if a third of the works in the catalogue were borrowed.
A Saatchi gallery spokesman said: "Our corporate sponsors regularly express interest in borrowing works from the gallery so we put together a book to make it easier for sponsors to see what they would be interested in displaying."
Saatchi is set to open a new gallery next year in a former barracks in Chelsea.
