Frank Bowling locked in £30 million court battle with Hales Gallery in Shoreditch over painter's artistic legacy

Frank Bowling circa April 2006
Popperfoto via Getty Images

Painter Frank Bowling is locked in a £30 million High Court battle with a London gallery over his artistic legacy.

The 86-year-old abstract artist claims he ended a decade-long working relationship with the Hales Gallery in Shoreditch over an alleged breakdown in trust.

He has accused the gallery of wrongly holding on to 110 pieces of his art — valued at £14 million — and says he is owed at least £1.8 million from sales.

But the east London gallery insists Bowling had no right to walk away from their deal in October last year, claiming it was part of a power-grab by his sons Ben and Sacha.

Hales alleges the sons are trying to wrestle control of Bowling’s artist legacy from his wife, Rachel Scott, and have countersued for up to £14 million in lost commissions and damages.

Bowling, who was born in Guyana when it was known as British Guiana, was made an OBE in 2008. He has had work exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Tate in London.

He was a contemporary of David Hockney at the Royal College of Art and, in 2005, became the first black artist to be elected to the Royal Academy. Hales Gallery, which has a second venue in New York, claims it was instrumental in “turning [Bowling] into an internationally renowned artist” with works selling for more than $1 million each.

In papers filed at the High Court, Bowling said he agreed for the gallery to promote his work and organise exhibitions, with proceeds of any sales split equally.

Tate/Matt Greenwood

“The relationship between Mr Bowling and the gallery is … one of trust and confidence,” Edward Cummings QC, for the artist, outlined in the court writ.

He said Ben and Sacha, alongside two friends, were appointed as Bowling’s new managers in March last year to “secure his creative legacy” and “reduce the administrative burden” on the artist and his wife.

Bowling has accused the gallery of failing to follow his instructions, by continuing to sell his work against his wishes — including the pieces Raining Down South and Penumbra to museums in San Francisco — and by allegedly not providing a comprehensive rundown of his artwork and finances.

“The gallery acted in wholesale disregard to the instructions and best interests of Mr Bowling,” added Mr Cummings, insisting the gallery should hand over alleged unpaid money, artwork it holds, as well as books and papers relating to the artist.

However, Bobby Friedman, representing the gallery, said the “happy and productive” relationship with Bowling and his wife — from 2010 to 2019 — was wrecked by a “concerted campaign” by his sons.

“Ms Scott continued to want to act as the driving force for Mr Bowling’s artistic career and legacy. However, Ben and Sacha wished to side-line their step mother,” he stated in defence papers.

“The tactics employed by them (and particularly by Ben) in trying to wrestle control from her included casting doubt on her mental faculties as a result of her age. Such statements had no basis in reality.”

Mr Friedman said the gallery insists Bowling had no legitimate grounds to terminate their deal without proper notice. Bowling denies the claims about the ending of the working relationship. A statement on behalf of the artist denied the claims of a family power struggle.

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