CODE 18-77
Mr Syme OED
pa an
building the Lola Zwecks
Reference
103
ABST!|!1
HONG KONG CONSULATE-GENERAL : WORKS OF ART
1. As I mentioned on the telephone, at the meeting yesterday of the British Council's Visual Arts Advisory Committee, the members got very steamed up about the question of works of art for the new Consulate-General building in Hong Kong (which we hope the British Council will be sharing with the
Consulate-General).
It appears that the Public Art
Development Trust (PADT) has been commissioned to assemble works of art for the new building. Members had heard that the PADT were buying prints of old Hong Kong at auctions.
2.
Members were puzzled as to why this work was being undertaken by the PADT, which allegedly does not normally work abroad, rather than the Government Art Collection, whose job it is to furnish Government buildings abroad. Even more importantly, it appeared that PADT would be buying works for the British Council part of the building without any consultation with Council officials or the Committee.
He
3. The Chairman drew attention to the British Council's policy of using 1% of the cost of new buildings for art. also advocated the involvement of artists in the design of the building and not just in installation of individual works of art.
4. I pointed out that the new building was an FCO commission and not one that the Council would be building for its own use. I added however that I thought it inconceivable that the Council would not be consulted about any works of art to be installed in their part of the building.
5. I understand that Andrea Rose of the Council's Visual Arts Department has already written to OED on this topic, but has not had a reply. I would be grateful if you can let me know what the position is on commissioning of works of art generally, on the involvement of PADT, and on possible Council involvement in the project.
6. I am aware that there is still a question-mark over the Council's occupation of the Hong Kong building and passed a note to Ms Rose to this effect. But it would still be helpful for us all to be clear about current state of play on works of art.
Ann Lewis
Cultural Relations Department
28 October 1993
CC:
Mrs Barnes-Jones, HKD
28.10HongKong
ния
406
RECE
- 2 NOV 1993