Sotheby’s backs Tate sculpture commission

Tate Britain’s previously biennial sculpture commission is to be an annual feature of its Duveen Galleries for the next three years, thanks to support from Sotheby’s (for an undisclosed sum). Artist Martin Creed is to create the next site-specific installation, to be unveiled on 30 June. Previous Duveen commissions include Mark Wallinger’s State Britain, a reproduction of a Parliament Square protest, for which the British artist won Tate’s 2007 Turner Prize. The deal comes at a time when auction houses are increasingly making their presence felt at public galleries. Phillips de Pury recently announced that it is to enable free entry to the Saatchi Gallery when it opens later this year (September 2007, p57).