L.S. Lowry’s painting ‘Going to the Match’ is set to return to Salford after a successful bid last month by The Law Family Charitable Foundation.
The painting is set to return to The Lowry’s gallery on Friday 25th November after its owner’s, the Professional Footballer’s Association (PFA), put the painting up for auction at the Modern British & Irish Art Sale at Christie’s in London.
Last month, The Lowry was successful in bidding a whopping £7.8m for the piece with support from The Law Family Charitable Foundation.
Since the piece has been on loan to The Lowry from the PFA since 2000, the organisation’s decision to sell Going to the Match, posed no guarantees that any future owners would share the commitment to keeping the work on public view and free to access.
However, The Lowry’s successful bid at Christie’s means the artwork has been secured for the city of Salford’s LS Lowry collection, and it will now be rehung at The Lowry, where it will be free to view.
Julia Fawcett OBE, CEO of The Lowry, said: “We passionately believed Going to the Match needed to remain on public view. Its safe return to our Galleries, thanks to the wonderfully generous gift from The Law Family Charitable Foundation, will be a huge moment for Salford, and we cannot wait to bring it home.
“We know visitors will be coming in large numbers in the coming months to view this iconic and much-loved work of art, and we can’t wait to welcome them. Again, I’d like to thank everyone who has helped achieve this fantastic outcome.”
Paul Dennett, Salford’s City Mayor, followed: “This painting was created in the north and belongs in the north and thanks entirely to the generosity of the Law family it is coming home to Salford where it should be. It is so important to have this iconic piece of art on view to the public for generations to come and I will be delighted to welcome it back.”
‘Going to the Match’ will return to The Lowry on November 25th.
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