Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett has called for a temporary export ban to prevent a world-famous painting by LS Lowry going abroad. ‘Going to the Match’ is due to go on sale in an auction at Christie’s London on Wednesday October 19.
The iconic painting is owned by the Professional Footballer’s Association’s Players Foundation and is expected to sell for up to £8 million. It was painted in 1953 and depicts the former Bolton Wanderers ground, Burnden Park on match day.
Mr Dennett said: “We need to do all we can to save this critical and important LS Lowry painting for people to access free here in Salford. If this work is bought by an international collector, I would urge the U.K Government to place a temporary export ban on this important piece of art to prevent it leaving the country.
"This will allow time for the campaign to gather momentum and help to raise funds to buy it.”
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Last week the city mayor also appealed to wealthy football clubs, players and individuals to help buy the painting. In an open letter, he warned the painting could be purchased by a private collector and moved out of the public eye, and potentially lost from our city or even our country forever.
Mr Dennett continued: “A new owner may choose not to have it on display at The Lowry. It has been proudly on display in Salford for the past 22 years which also houses the world’s largest collection of his works.
“LS Lowry, Salford’s greatest and most iconic artist, made his name depicting working-class life, reflecting our industrial history and heritage. In a world of celebrities and status, L.S. Lowry’s work chronicles the mundane, the gritty, the coarseness and realism of life in northern industrial towns and cities.
“The very essence of LS Lowry’s work is to engage with the lives of the working people - it would be a travesty were this work to be removed from spaces where working people can see it.
“If our great pieces of art and culture, crucial to our social history, heritage and sporting communities can be privatised in this way, what becomes of our country - what binds it together?
“Salford City Council has always been proud of its approach to art and culture and has worked hard to retain artwork to enable the public to view and enjoy such historic pieces which captures our heritage.
"The continuing cuts and intense pressure on local authority resources have made it impossible for us to buy this iconic piece and that is why we are reaching out to influential people in the city who share our vision of providing access for all to historically important pieces of artwork such as this one.”
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