Saatchi moves gallery after landlord dispute
Charles Saatchi is moving his gallery from London’s County Hall following an “endless campaign of petty unpleasantness” by its landlord, he said today.
The multi-millionaire art collector accused Japanese businessman Makota “Mac” Okamoto of creating a “malevolent atmosphere”.
His decision to quit is the culmination of a long-running feud between the Gallery and Mr Okamoto, European head of the Shirayama Shokusan Corporation.
The Saatchi Gallery will relocate from the South Bank to a new home at the Duke of York’s HQ Building near Sloane Square in Chelsea.
In a statement, Saatchi said: “We are very sad to be leaving County Hall because in many respects it’s been a great success.
“However, the behaviour of the landlord has made our long-term tenancy untenable. He has made the Gallery staff despondent with an endless campaign of petty unpleasantness and we didn’t feel the Gallery could develop in this malevolent atmosphere.”
The Saatchi Gallery opened at County Hall, the former GLC headquarters, in spring 2003 to great fanfare.
The building was bought by the Shirayama Shokusan Corporation, a Japanese development company, for £60m in 1993.
Mr Okamoto has reportedly clashed with Gallery staff on several occasions.
He has been accused of “abusive and intimidating” behaviour, particularly when staff have failed to recognise him.
Confronted by security guard Rami Al Jaabari, who saw him entering through a side door and asked if he had the manager’s permission to use it, Mr Okamoto allegedly shouted: “Tell your manager to f*** off. I am the f***ing owner of this place.”
On another occasion he allegedly told a Gallery supervisor: “F*** you, girl,” after she questioned his attempt to pass a sign saying the building was closed.
Mr Okamoto is also accused of changing the locks on the Gallery’s sole disabled lavatory and of kicking a realistic sculpture of a homeless person in a sleeping bag by celebrated British artist Gavin Turk.
The new gallery building will be 50,000 sq ft and will offer a larger exhibition space than County Hall currently provides.
It will also house a café, bookshop and educational facilities.
Saatchi said: “I think that the Duke of York’s HQ Building, which will give us extremely large, well proportioned rooms with very high ceilings, will create a perfect gallery to look at contemporary art.”
Nigel Hirst, the Gallery’s director, said the new building would make a “magnificent” location.
He said: “Although we have been delighted with the impact the Gallery has achieved over the last two years, our problems with our current landlord at County Hall have been well documented.
“Taking this entire building in Chelsea will give the Gallery the opportunity to grow and develop in a way that we would like, without the distraction that our current landlord has created.”
A spokesman for Mr Okamoto refused to comment.
