“Against the very vocal opposition of important figures in the British art world, the council of the Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London decided on Wednesday to sell “Draped Seated Woman,” the 1957 bronze that Henry Moore sold to the London County Council at a steep discount in 1960. And the reason given for the decision by Lutfur Rahman, the mayor of Tower Hamlets, is basically: the government is forcing his hand.” (New York Times, 8 November 2012, online version, Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A307825672/STND?u=29002&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=b99a7c1c.)
“Film-maker Danny Boyle has condemned the decision of Tower Hamlets Council to sell the Henry Moore sculpture Draped Seated Woman to claw back money lost in budget cuts. Lutfur Rahman, the independent mayor of the borough, overruled the recommendation of his councillors that the statue — which is valued at up to £20m – should not be sold. Boyle, a Tower Hamlets resident, said on Wednesday night: “The value of art is diminished by being monetarised. The Moore sculpture defies all prejudice in people’s minds about one of London’s poorest boroughs. That alone makes it priceless to every resident.” (The Daily Telegraph, 8 November 2012)
