Art group campaigns for Tate gallery chief to resign (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Art group campaigns for Tate gallery chief to resign

8:30am Tuesday 20th May 2008 in Search By Rebecca Lowe

For many art lovers the announcement of the Turner Prize nominees last week was one of the highlights of the cultural calendar. But not for Charles Thomson of Manor Cottages Approach, East Finchley.

Mr Thomson, 55, is the founder of the Stuckist art group, an anti-Turner Prize organisation.

He is urging residents to sign a petition he started on the Prime Minister's website to force Sir Nicholas Serota, chief executive of the Tate galleries, to resign.

He said: "We think people should be honest about life, their intentions, their experiences, their processes. It shouldn't be anything goes'. It should be something the public can relate to.

"But Sir Nicholas seems to delight in promoting artists who are pretentious.

"These artists claim their art is extraordinary, when it is actually meaningless. All it does is mesmerise people temporarily."

The Stuckist movement, which now boasts members in 41 countries, has been trying to get rid of Mr Serota for eight years.

Campaigners have previously dressed as clowns at Turner Prize openings and held anti-Serota art exhibitions.

Mr Thomson recently designed a "not wanted" poster to advertise his petition, stating: "This man regularly extracts large sums of money from the Government and members of the public on the pretext of buying art that meets a public demand. Do not be fooled."

Sir Nicholas Serota has been Director of the Tate since 1988.

His current seven-year contract expires on August 31, 2009, and the appointment of a director for the following seven years must be decided by August 31 this year. The appointment is subject to the Prime Minister's approval.

Mr Thomson said: "I ask all residents of Barnet to sign this petition and convince the Prime Minister not to approve this appointment."

The Tate gallery refused to comment.