Abacus Trust Group is delighted to announce it has become a supporter of the Isle of Man Arts Council’s Modern and Contemporary Loan Collection.
The 400 pieces are divided into small groups and loaned to schools, libraries, hospitals and public buildings to promote art education, awareness and appreciation on the Island.
The programme, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, was established by local artist and teacher David Fletcher. He was its curator and together with his wife, fellow artist Eileen Schaer, they toured the UK and further afield to purchase prints, painting and photographs.
Buying the work for educational purposes enabled them to negotiate good prices and they were able to acquire work by artists such as Anthony Gormley, Damien Hirst, Picasso, Joseph Albers, Elizabeth Frink and David Hockney, as well as Manx artists Bryan Kneale, Michael Sandle and Chris Killip.
Abacus is thrilled to join the scheme and staff voted to add Sara Pope’s Decadence (deep red), Jake Chapman’s Yin and Yin and John Bellany’s The Old Man and the Sea to the walls of its office in Circular Road, Douglas.
Managing Director, Kevin Loundes said: “Many of our clients have a keen interest in art and in our professional lives we help them protect such precious assets but by joining this scheme we are able to get close up and see the detail of these extraordinary pieces we would normally only ever view in a gallery. To have such a collection of art work on our door step that we are able to borrow and appreciate is amazing.”
Arts Development Officer, Martyn Cain said: “Working with Abacus has been fantastic and we love how much of a conversation starter some of our bolder works will create. Staff and visitors to the Abacus office can now enjoy artists such as Turner Prize nominee Jake Chapman as part of their working day. We hope this inspires a love of art with staff and visitors to the office and can’t wait to include more works in the future.”
IMAGE BELOW: Sara Pope, Decadence (2017). Copyright: Sara Pope
