Cash from the sale of a precious photograph will be used to kick-start a project aimed at helping the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television (NMPFT) showcase its historic collection in London.
A mystery benefactor has donated £36,000 from the auction of his 1921 Edward Weston print of Tina Modotti to help the Bradford-based NMPFT find a permanent venue in the capital.
The money will ?start the ball rolling? for a fundraising project which, it is hoped, will enable the venue to stage exhibitions within the next couple of years.
A source close to the project revealed that total funds needed to finance the project were ?substantial?.
A location has yet to be decided but earlier this year Somerset House was in talks with the NMPFT about displaying pictures from the collection on an ?ongoing? basis (see AP News 19 February). It was reported that three rooms may be set aside at Somerset House to run four exhibitions a year.
The Edward Weston picture ? a platinum print ? beat its pre-sale estimate of £20,000-30,000 at a Christie?s auction.
In an interview with AP earlier this year the owner of the rare print said he wished to remain anonymous.
The picture was sold to a private European buyer and was part of an auction of photographs which went under the hammer at Christie?s recently, raising more than £1m in total.
Keep a look out for upcoming issues of AP for more on this story.
