pantone 137 pantone 5195 CAS gratefully acknowledges the generous support of: We promote the collecting of Contemporary contemporary art through our gifts to public museums Art and the advice and guidance we offer Society companies and individuals Contemporary Art Society annual report 1999/2000 design giant arc design 01273 325067 pantone 137 pantone 5195 patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother vice-patrons Bryan Ferry Caryl Hubbard Pauline Vogelpoel Mann The Lord McAlpine of West Green The Lord and Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover The Lady Vaizey The Viscount and Viscountess Windsor artist patrons Sir Anthony Caro, OM Bridget Riley, CH committee members Oliver Prenn Chairman Jim Moyes Vice Chairman until October 1999 Pesh Framjee Honorary Treasurer Mark Stephens Honorary Solicitor Lance Blackstone Honorary Secretary Jolyon Barker Wendy Baron Janice Blackburn Rupert Gavin until September 1999 Robert Hopper until December 1999 Sean Rainbird Ann Stanton Babs Thomson director Gill Hedley projects director Cat Newton-Groves projects manager Lara Sampson collections curator Mary Doyle registrar Brendan Caylor until December 1999 office manager Paula Hollings from March 2000 events/membership manager Kate Steel assistant collections curator Jessica Wallwork ARTfutures selector Jeni Walwin contents ... Contemporary Art Society annual report 1999/2000 I chairman’s report 2 II director’s report 3 III members’ events 1999/2000 7 IV projects’ report 11 V museums’ report 13 VI buyers’ report 21 VII Nancy Balfour collection exhibition 23 VIII member museums 24 IX statement of financial accounting 26 X about Contemporary Art Society 28 Contemporary Art Society I chairman’s report When Gill Hedley sent me a draft of Finally, I was greatly encouraged by her comprehensive review of our the number of new buyers at activities I told her that she had left me ARTfutures. I regard this also as a nothing to say apart from thanking principal activity of the Society. We her. This I do with the greatest of greatly enjoy our events and our pleasure, as it is difficult to imagine parties and our trips but the pay-off anyone who combines flair, integrity comes when 100 new buyers turn and effort with cheerfulness to greater up at ARTfutures and buy carefully effect. She has had an excellent year selected art at affordable prices. juggling activities of bewildering Nowadays new collections are being profusion and I am glad that this year started all the time, and to help them she has been designated the Nancy along or get them started is one of Balfour Fellow of Contemporary Art. the reasons we are here. I did observe that the Distribution of works of art and craft of the year 2000, Oliver Prenn give and take, should occupy the most Chairman prominent place. Such distributions have, after all, been the principal activity of the Contemporary Art Society for over ninety years. Our buyers perform miracles on a shoestring and we owe them heartfelt thanks. It is hard to accept that Robert Hopper will no longer be among them. The Special Collection Scheme with its Lottery and partnership funding to develop the collections and curatorial skills of 15 of our member museums has now hit its stride. This is one of the most exciting initiatives in the history of CAS and will result in a change to the profile of museum collections throughout England. Just as Tate Modern makes its impact in London so our SCS will make a real difference throughout the rest of the country. 2 Contemporary Art Society director’s report II During 1999/2000 the Contemporary Art CAS, bequeathed over 400 works of art Society has maintained its long tradition to CAS. 100 of those were selected for of promoting the collecting of presentation to member museums and contemporary art through our gifts to have formed a touring exhibition. museums and the advice we offer companies and individuals. Many, however, were too small or modest for public collections but had been a well In April 1909, a meeting was held at the loved part of a distinguished private Bloomsbury home of Philip and Ottoline collection. What better way to celebrate Morrell which resolved to form a private ninety years as a membership and independent organisation to organisation and Nancy Balfour’s promote contemporary art. One year generosity than to offer these works to later, in May 1910, the critics, curators CAS Members? The logistics of the and private collectors behind this idea evening were complex but it was finally chose to call the organisation the decided that the purchase of tickets in Contemporary Art Society and to one of three price categories would purchase works by young artists for the entitle each Member to a randomly purpose of presenting them to museums. selected work of art from that category. It was an extraordinary evening of chance We have spent this year celebrating our and good fortune: with some judicious ninety years of achievement, culminating swaps, almost everyone went away in our latest distribution exhibition of happy, many thrilled, some with the gifts of works of art to museums. work of an unknown artist or by artists such as Antony Gormley, Ian Davenport In June 1999, we held a Summer Party in or Bridget Riley for their own collection. perfect surroundings, thanks to the generosity of Julia Peyton-Jones and her The beautiful setting of Richard Salmon’s colleagues at the Serpentine Gallery. gallery added to the atmosphere and we Outside, the sun shone brilliantly while, are grateful to him for his hospitality. indoors, paintings by our Artist Patron Bridget Riley shimmered. Some works in the bequest were deemed inappropriate for gift to museums yet of In September 1999, the Annual Members’ such quality that they could not be given Meeting took a very different form from away at such bargain prices. James usual. For ninety years CAS has been a Rawlin, Head of Modern Art at Phillips membership organisation, dependent on and a CAS member, offered to hold a the support of its Members and it Charity Auction of works from the Nancy seemed appropriate to celebrate that Balfour Collection in October 1999. The vital fact. Nancy Balfour, late president of atmosphere was very exciting with ten Contemporary Art Society 3 museums throughout England. Cat Newton-Groves and Lara Sampson write elsewhere in this report about the Over this difficult period, CAS has had to work of CASP; Mary Doyle and Jessica raise funds for all its overheads as well as Wallwork record the programme of to purchase works of art for the next events for curators and purchases made distribution exhibition for each of its 70 for museums and within the Special member museums in April 2000. Collection Scheme; Kate Steel lists the events organised for members throughout We owe a great deal to all of those who the year. Brendan Caylor and now Paula have supported our work either through Hollings keep the office and finances the time or the funds that they give us. running smoothly. Volunteers are a vital part of CAS’ success Without the generosity and foresight and we have depended heavily on the of Nancy Balfour and also of her family, generosity and energies of Sandra Mahon, the Contemporary Art Society would not Simone Reid and Kerry Duggan whose have been able to enter the year 2000 work on give and take and our website confident that it can make gifts to its was invaluable. member museums that will make their mark on public collections. We depend also on the skills of freelance curators, especially Jeni Walwin who Others have given vital support and selects ARTfutures each year with a fresh encouragement. The Henry Moore eye every time; Katherine Stout and now Foundation has increased its generosity Juliet Bingham who work on the through a special grant to purchase major Economist exhibition programme; Deborah works of sculpture to mark the centenary Smith and Kate Fowle who created the of Henry Moore’s birth. The Esmée educational material to accompany give Fairbairn Charitable Trust gave a and take, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn substantial grant to allow six more Charitable Trust, and Sara Grant Thorold museums to join CAS and for an who has organised the travelling educational and interpretative pack to exhibition of work from Nancy Balfour’s accompany many of the works on offer collection. to museums. The staff of the Contemporary Art Society The Arts Council of England continues achieves an extraordinary amount even to fund the active support and advice though we are a team of only seven. I that CAS offers its member museums. It want to record my gratitude to all of them now administers the purchase grants that and the contribution each of them makes formerly came from the Crafts Council. as an individual. The Paul Hamlyn Foundation has given 4 Contemporary Art Society phone lines installed for the sale and annual Contemporary Art Society art with a capacity audience. The resulting market, at the Royal Festival Hall where sales were a tremendous boost to our 308 works of art were sold over five days funds. for a total of £215,000. Amongst those who bought work, 100 collectors were We are grateful to all those who made new to us. these two events into such a success. In January 2000, Contemporary Art Society Nancy Balfour’s family supported all Projects took a leading role at ART2000 efforts to make the very best use of her in Islington. bequest and, with great generosity, gave a further £50,000 to CAS. Some of this These are the highlights of the CAS year in windfall will be used to publish a brief terms of our public activities.