BP & Tate to part ways after nearly three decades

Our daily round-up of news from the art world

BP to end Tate Sponsorship | BP is to end its sponsorship deal, now in its 27th year, with the Tate group of museums, when the current agreement expires next year, reports the Independent. The museum has described its partnership with the oil firm as an ‘outstanding example of patronage and collaboration over nearly 30 years’, and praised BP for its ‘groundbreaking support of the collection displays and other programmes’. BP, for its part, blames the ‘extremely challenging business environment’, though it has made clear that the long-running protests staged by activists at the museum’s various branches have nothing to do with the decision. ‘They are free to express their points of view but our decision wasn’t influenced by that. It was a business decision,’ said a spokesman for the company.

Aegean Airlines will sponsor Documenta 14 | As part of Documenta 14’s extension to Athens next year, Aegean Airlines has agreed to sponsor the event and provide two direct flights between the Greek capital and Kassel for the duration of the contemporary art marathon. This is the first time that Documenta has been held outside Kassel, though it will run as usual in its traditional home, on dates that will overlap with the Greek event.

Krist Gruijthuijsen named as director of KW Institute for Contemporary Art | Krist Gruijthuijsen is to take up the directorship of Berlin’s KW Institute for Contemporary Art, and will oversee a significant restructuring of the museum. Gruijthuijsen, who is moving from the Grazer Kunstverein, will assume his new post in Berlin on 1 July.

Rubens’ Lot and His Daughters up for auction at Christie’s | Lot and his Daughters (c. 1613–14), a little-known work by Rubens, is set to come up for auction at Christie’s, reports Bendor Grosvenor in the FT. The painting, which is being sold by the descendants of Baron Maurice de Hirsch de Gereuth, is expected to fetch more than £20 million. Significantly, it has been in the country for less than 50 years and thus will not be liable for an export bar. The painting is to go on a worldwide tour before it is sold later this year.