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V&A 'honoured' to get donation from Trump donor Len Blavatnik V&A 'honoured' to get donation from Trump donor Len Blavatnik
(35 minutes later)
The V&A director, Tristram Hunt, has said the museum was “honoured” to have the financial support of the billionaire supporter of Donald Trump Len Blavatnik, and welcomed it from donors of “all political views and no political views”.The V&A director, Tristram Hunt, has said the museum was “honoured” to have the financial support of the billionaire supporter of Donald Trump Len Blavatnik, and welcomed it from donors of “all political views and no political views”.
Hunt on Wednesday launched the museum’s annual review, announcing exhibitions on a diverse range of subjects including Frida Kahlo, video games, and the environmental impact of fashion.Hunt on Wednesday launched the museum’s annual review, announcing exhibitions on a diverse range of subjects including Frida Kahlo, video games, and the environmental impact of fashion.
He was speaking in the recently opened Blavatnik Hall, a new entrance named after the Ukraine-born businessman in recognition of his £5m donation to the V&A’s Exhibition Road redevelopment. He was speaking in the recently opened Blavatnik Hall, an entrance named after the Ukraine-born businessman in recognition of his £5m donation to the V&A’s Exhibition Road redevelopment.
Blavatnik, one of Britain’s richest men, is in the spotlight after Prof Bo Rothstein resigned as Oxford University’s Blavatnik chair of government and public policy because of a $1m donation to Donald Trump’s inauguration committee. Blavatnik, one of Britain’s richest men, is in the spotlight after Prof Bo Rothstein resigned as Oxford University’s Blavatnik chair of government and public policy because of a $1m donation to Trump’s inauguration committee.
But Hunt said the V&A had no such qualms. “I am very honoured that he supports this development … he is a supporter of arts and culture across the UK and across the world.But Hunt said the V&A had no such qualms. “I am very honoured that he supports this development … he is a supporter of arts and culture across the UK and across the world.
“We regard him as a very generous patron and supporter of of the arts and what his political views are – that’s a question for him. In terms of the support for arts and culture we are just very grateful for his support.”“We regard him as a very generous patron and supporter of of the arts and what his political views are – that’s a question for him. In terms of the support for arts and culture we are just very grateful for his support.”
Hunt, the historian and former Labour politician who was appointed as the new V&A director earlier this year, said a donor’s politics were not a concern. “We accept all political views and no political views at the V&A.” Hunt, a historian and former Labour politician who was appointed V&A director this year, said a donor’s politics were not a concern.
Blavatnik, the owner of Warner Music Group, who was this year knighted for his philanthropy, has been a regular donor to arts and culture in the UK. As well as the money he gave to the V&A, Blavatnik donated a figure reportedly in excess of £50m to Tate Modern’s extension. That ranks as the biggest financial donation to a UK museum and led to Tate naming its extension the Blavatnik building. Blavatnik, the owner of Warner Music Group, was knighted this year for his philanthropy. He has been a regular donor to arts and culture projects in the UK. As well as the money he gave to the V&A, Blavatnik donated a figure reportedly in excess of £50m for Tate Modern’s extension. It ranks as the biggest financial donation to a UK museum and led to Tate naming its extension the Blavatnik building.
At Oxford he gave £75m to set up the Blavatnik school of government, a donation criticised in 2015 in an open letter to the Guardian that said the university “should stop selling its reputation and prestige to Putin’s associates”.At Oxford he gave £75m to set up the Blavatnik school of government, a donation criticised in 2015 in an open letter to the Guardian that said the university “should stop selling its reputation and prestige to Putin’s associates”.
Rothstein said he had received hundreds of messages of support after resigning his Oxford professorship in protest at Blavatnik giving money to Trump’s inauguration. In his resignation letter he wrote: “President Trump stands for a system of governing that is completely contrary to what I have come to define as ‘quality of government’.”Rothstein said he had received hundreds of messages of support after resigning his Oxford professorship in protest at Blavatnik giving money to Trump’s inauguration. In his resignation letter he wrote: “President Trump stands for a system of governing that is completely contrary to what I have come to define as ‘quality of government’.”
Blavatnik denies donating to Trump. Instead the money was to the committee that had been responsible for organising US presidential inaugurations since 1901.Blavatnik denies donating to Trump. Instead the money was to the committee that had been responsible for organising US presidential inaugurations since 1901.
He also denies being an associate of Putin and has stated that he has had no personal contact with the Russian leader since 2000.He also denies being an associate of Putin and has stated that he has had no personal contact with the Russian leader since 2000.
Hunt, who has not met Blavatnik, said the businessman’s money was welcome and had helped fund the new Exhibition Road Quarter, the museum’s largest architectural innovation in more than 100 years, providing a new entrance and a new temporary exhibition space, the Sainsbury Gallery. Hunt, who has not met Blavatnik, said the businessman’s money was welcome and had helped fund the new Exhibition Road Quarter, the museum’s largest architectural innovation in more than 100 years, providing the new entrance and a new temporary exhibition space, the Sainsbury Gallery.
In 2018 the gallery will be used for a major exhibition called The Future Starts Here, which explores how design is “shaping the world of tomorrow” whether through smart appliances, satellites or artificial intelligence. In 2018 the gallery will be used for a major exhibition called The Future Starts Here, exploring how design is “shaping the world of tomorrow” whether through smart appliances, satellites or artificial intelligence.
The V&A’s big autumn show will be on video games, an important exhibition, said Hunt, and “the first in the world to fully consider the complexity of video games as one of the most important design fields of our time”. The V&A’s big autumn show will be on video games, said Hunt, describing it as “the first in the world to fully consider the complexity of video games as one of the most important design fields of our time”.
There will be large immersive multimedia installations as well as objects and the opportunity to play. There will be large immersive multimedia installations, as well as the opportunity to play.
Hunt said the V&A was the ideal home for video games. “We are very happy to have them in the same building as Donatellos, Botticellis, Christopher Dressers and Constables and Turners. One of the challenges for the V&A is to get people to think differently about what they might not respect visually enough.” Hunt said the V&A was the ideal home for video games. “We are very happy to have them in the same building as Donatellos, Botticellis, Christopher Dressers and Constables and Turners. One of the challenges for the V&A is to get people to think differently about what they might not respect enough visually.”
The V&A has long been known for the diversity of its exhibition programme and that continues in 2018 with a show on the environmental nature of fashion, sponsored by the European Confederation of Linen and Hemp; the first exhibition outside Mexico of clothing and personal possessions of Frida Kahlo which were discovered in 2004 in sealed cupboards and storerooms; and previously announced shows on Winnie-the-Pooh and ocean liners. The V&A has long been known for the diversity of its exhibition programme and that continues in 2018 with a show on the environmental nature of fashion, sponsored by the European Confederation of Linen and Hemp; the first exhibition outside Mexico of clothing and personal possessions of Frida Kahlo, which were discovered in 2004 in sealed cupboards and storerooms; and previously announced shows on Winnie-the-Pooh and ocean liners.