Couper Collection
The Couper Collection in Hove, Sussex UK is an internationally exhibited collection of artwork and installations by the British artist Max Couper, as well as a venue for: exhibitions and events by other artists; and youth art education projects.
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The Couper Collection for many years exhibited its art in a floating gallery on converted barges, moored on the banks of the Thames in Battersea, London.
Between 2001-2003 the Collection was a Focus Site of the London String of Pearls Golden Jubilee Festival, Patron HRH Prince Charles.
Works
Major works by Max Couper and the Couper Collection include:
- Couper's new artwork & costumes at Galerie Verbeeck Van Dyke, Antwerp (2021)
- Couper Collection's childrens' art exhibitions with the National Portrait Gallery London (2002)
- Couper's Thames Fleeting Opera with the Royal Opera House and Judi Dench (2000)
- Couper's exhibition at The Museum of Contemporary Art (MuHKA), Antwerp (1996)
- Couper's exhibition at the Sprengel Museum, Hanover (1997)
- Couper's exhibition at the Lehmbruck Museum of sculpture, Duisburg (1997)
Challenged mooring rights & closure 2014-2022
In 2006, the Couper Collection was involved a dispute with Hutchison Whampoa and the Port of London Authority regarding a land claim at Albion Riverside and Foster and Partners's plans to remove the charity's barges.[1] Foster's lawyers, Farrer & Co, put in objections to the UK Land Registry.[2] Max Couper claimed "ancient mooring rights", but in 2013 Justice Arnold ruled that the barges should be removed,[3] and Hutchison Whampoa sought to enforce the ruling with a further High Court order to "dispose of or destroy" the gallery. The PLA offered alternative mooring sites, which Couper declined.[1]
The gallery reopened in 2022 and the website maxcoupercollection.uk was updated.[4] The charity was removed from the Charity Commission's register in 2018.[5]
The litigation was long, and complex. Proceedings were first issued in 2006.[6] The final judgement in the litigation was later in 2017, when Couper attempted to sue his solicitors and counsel in the earlier proceedings.[7]
The vessels have been sold.[8]
References
- Farrell, Jeff; Jury, Louise (23 October 2014). "Judi Dench protests against floating art gallery eviction". Evening Standard. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- Leake, Jonathan (26 September 2004). "Foster vision could sink an art gallery". The Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - "Couper & Anor v Albion Properties Limited & Ors [2013] EWHC 2993 (Ch)". Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- "The Couper Collection". Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- "Charity Commission: Couper Collection Charitable Trust". Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- "Couper & Anor v Albion Properties Limited & Ors [2017] EWHC 22 (Ch) at 1". Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- "Couper v Irwin Mitchell LLP & Ors [2017] EWHC 3231 (Ch)". Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- "Couper & Anor v Albion Properties Limited & Ors [2017] EWHC 22 (Ch) at 17". Retrieved 22 November 2020.