![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() “We are at a time where we feel we constantly need to challenge the past. And never more so than today, when the pre-eminence of the European tradition, which the collection represents, is no longer a given. That may sound like a lot to secure the gallery’s future, but Finaldi believes that the art in its collection is of “fundamental” importance to both Britain and the world. And Finaldi hopes that the party’s theme, “The Alchemist’s Feast”, will encourage guests to turn the base metal of goodwill into the gold of donations – because the gallery’s ambitious plans, which include a series of “significant” capital projects, will cost £95 million. The evening, which is expected to be attended by stars, including Sienna Miller, Damian Lewis and Bill Nighy, will launch a fundraising campaign for the gallery’s bicentenary celebrations in 2024 – details of which, under the heading “NG200”, are announced today. “So, it’s perfectly OK to generate some excitement and glitziness as well.” Sitting in a sparse office overlooking Trafalgar Square, Finaldi – a deep-voiced, patriarchal figure, who, at 57, has already run the gallery for seven years – is referring to a red-carpet event taking place there tonight: London’s answer, if you like, to the extravagant gala held every spring at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. “We do lots of things at the National Gallery which are very serious and scholarly,” says its director, Gabriele Finaldi. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |