On the sale of works of art from the collection
List all Blogs
I appreciate that the announcement of a sale of works of art from Dartington is upsetting for people who know and love them. However, some have expressed the concern that the Trust is not entitled to sell, or that to do so is to break with a long tradition. I would like to set the record straight on the important question of the intentions of our Founders and the articles governing the Trust.
The Elmhirsts never intended or expected the private collection they bequeathed to the Trust to be preserved intact under all circumstances. As the documents show, they went to considerable lengths to make clear that the Trust’s art works and other assets could, and should, be used and sold, at the discretion of the Trustees, to support the activities of the Trust. As a result, throughout our history, Dartington has sold works from the collection for this purpose.
I can wholeheartedly assure you that the arts will remain fundamental to our mission. The Trust has defined a substantial ‘core collection’ of works (over 300+ pieces) which will remain here for the benefit of artists, students and friends, old and new. Together they tell the story of Dartington’s unique and important contribution to the arts across several media – sculpture, drawings, paintings, ceramics, textiles and furniture- and include works from all the major artists who have been connected with Dartington (Tagore, Cecil Collins, Mark Tobey, Ben Nicholson, Alfred Wallis, Frances Hodgkins, John Piper, Christopher Wood and Willi Soukop).
I am in no doubt that the Elmhirsts would approve of the decision by the present Trustees to sell part of the collection. These funds are urgently needed to support future work in the arts, sustainability and social justice and thus remain true to the founding vision of Dartington as a place of beauty, creativity and experiment.
Vaughan Lindsay, CEO of The Dartington Hall Trust