Art, photography & architecture
Reid, Sir Norman (3 of 13). National Life Story Collection: Artists' Lives.
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Type
sound
Duration
00:30:27
Shelf mark
C466/97
Subjects
Art
Recording date
2000-02-03, 2000-04-12, 2000-12-20, 2005-03-29, 2005-05-06
Recording locations
Interviewee's home.
Interviewees
Reid, Sir Norman, 1915-, (speaker, male)
Interviewers
Courtney, Cathy (speaker, female)
Abstract
Part 3. Sir Norman Reid [NR] continues discussion of Gilbert&George [G&G]. Milan show organised by NR; row with David Hockney about exclusion of Kitaj. Further details G&G. Ronald Alley [RA] joined Tate shortly after NR; NR on selection panel for new staff, with Anthony Blunt; Richard Morphet’s [RM] interview. RA, RM and Dr ‘Little’ Brown at Trustees meetings if NR requested. Brown on staff at Edinburgh, eventually Assistant Keeper at Tate. Disagreements among Trustees about which art to buy; Trustees’ meeting when faced with four wonderful paintings, all of which they wanted; NR regards his success in this as most effective bit of diplomacy. NR wouldn’t apply for Tate Directorship until Chairman Colin Anderson told him he must. NR’s describes his limitations; not a writer or art historian; Tate tradition of painters-turned-directors lost in flood of PhDs, job now narrowly professionalised. Feelings about Directorship; had twice applied to Edinburgh as Director of National Galleries of Scotland; worked with John Rothenstein [JR] for eighteen years, but JR didn’t support him for directorship. Difficulties of working with JR; no-one could speak to the press except him; NR set up conservation department, yet JR took most credit; JR “inherited” his father’s friends and enemies. Degas ‘Dancer’ bought by JR; discusses suggestion that JR “benefited” from this. Douglas Cooper’s [DC] fractious relationship with JR. NR inherited books from Graham Sutherland [GS]; book dedicated to GS from DC. Léger gouache which DC alleged was done by Léger’s mistress. Lawrence Gowing [LG] contender for the directorship of Tate, becomes keeper of British Collections. Anthony Lousada. LG’s qualities; Hogarth exhibition at Tate, LG threatens to withdraw his name from catalogue.
Metadata record:
Reid, Sir Norman (3 of 13). National Life Story Collection: Artists' Lives.
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