sarah badr | pieces at random

Anti-Vice Campaign Series-005
by Zhang Haiying, 2007
Oil on canvas, 200 x 300 cm

At last, the new Saatchi Gallery is set to open in Chelsea on 9th October, not a moment too soon after having eagerly awaited since the one in County Hall packed up to move back in 2006. Behind the scenes, of course, was the ongoing conflict with London branch manager Makoto Okamoto, and the litigation concerning the case brought forth against the gallery by County Hall landlords, owners Shirayama Shokusan Co Ltd. and Cadogan Leisure Investments back in 2005. And even though USA Today: New American Art from the Saatchi Gallery at the Royal Academy was thoroughly enjoyable and as impressive as always, it just wasn’t the same. So having been invited to the The Duke of York’s Headquarters in Sloan Square to the gallery preview opening of The Revolution Continues: New Art from China inaugural exhibition next month, I’m extremely excited. And as much as I look forward to seeing works by Zhang Xiaogang, Sun Yuan, Peng Yu and Zhang Haiying (see above), I also sincerely hope that the venerable Charles Saatchi will be in attendance too…

Sarah Badr © MMVIII

See also: The Saatchi Gallery