Miami businessman Jorge M. Pérez donates Joan Mitchell’s circ- $5m triptych to Tate Modern alongside an endowment to fund curatorial posts
A six-metre-long triptych by artist Joan Mitchell, valued at between $3-5m, is now on display at Tate Modern after it was gifted to Tate alongside a multimillion-dollar endowment.
The painting, titled ‘Iva’, is one of a group of works being donated by Miami’s Pérez family alongside millions to fund curatorial research.
‘Iva’ was last sold at auction in 2018 for $3.2m. Christie’s now values the work at up to $5m. The work is on free display at Tate Modern from today.
Named after Mitchell’s beloved German Shepherd dog, Tate described Iva as “a bold, gestural work that combines emotional and physical expression”.
Tate’s holdings of Mitchell’s work previously consisted of a group of prints and a smaller late painting.
Maria Balshaw, director of Tate, called the painting “one of the most important Tate has received”.
“To place such a significant and valuable work in public hands is an act of incredible generosity. It is also an endorsement of Tate’s ability to share our collection with the broadest possible audience – particularly here at Tate Modern, the world’s most popular modern art museum – and to care for that collection for future generations.”
Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said the donation of the painting “shows the amazing difference one person’s generosity can make. I’m very grateful for this donation and for the work that went into making it possible.”
Jorge M. Pérez is an American businessman of Latin descent and Founding Executive Chairman of Miami-based real estate company The Related Group. He has given or pledged over $100 million to Miami’s public art museum, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum Miami in his honour in 2013.
He also founded a not-for-profit contemporary art space in Miami – El Espacio 23 – dedicated to serving artists, curators and the general public with regular curated exhibitions, residencies and a variety of special projects drawn from the Pérez Collection.
Tate said the endowment will help fund curatorial posts dedicated to work on African and Latin American art.
Additionally, a group of works by artists from across Africa and the African diaspora will make their way from the Pérezes to Tate’s collection over the coming years.
These include Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui, Joy Labinjo, Buhlebezwe Siwani and a significant group of photographs by Malick Sidibé and Seydou Keïta.
