The incredible story behind the removal of the Sackler name from the Tate chair
The Tate board of trustees chair, Roland Rudd, recently addressed how Tate handled sponsorship challenges and a racism controversy in an interview with The Sunday Times. Rudd, who took over from former chair Lionel Barber in January 2021, discussed the removal of references to the Sackler family from Tate galleries due to their association with the opioid epidemic. Tate, with running costs of £100 million and government grant-in-aid income of £42 million, is exploring more commercial revenue options. Rudd expressed willingness to seek donors, highlighting Tate’s membership benefits and the Tate Collective scheme for young visitors. Additionally, Rudd mentioned artist Keith Piper’s response to the racist Rex Whistler mural at Tate Britain. The controversial rehang at Tate Britain last year, led by director Alex Farquharson, aimed to examine art from social, cultural, and political perspectives. Despite facing criticism, Rudd believes Tate Britain’s approach struck a balance between being political without lecturing its audience.
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Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.