Henry Moore (British, 1898–1986)

Old Flo: Bromley take it to the High Court

17:50, 20 JULY 2015
BY RICHARD BEECHAM

Debate over Henry Moore sculpture’s ownership continues as Bromley Council challenge decision in High Court. Mayor John Biggs confident statue will return to Tower Hamlets






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The Mayor of Tower Hamlets revealed that Bromley Council has put a challenge in to the High Court over the ownership of Henry Moore’s Old Flo statue.

Mayor John Biggs told a press briefing in the council’s Mulberry Place headquarters that Bromley had appealed to the court over a decision to award ownership of the sculpture to Tower Hamlets in early July.

“A court decided to award us the ownership if the sculpture,” he said. “But we have since learned that Bromley Council have appealed to the High Court.”

However, he remained confident over the future of the sculpture, and said plans were continuing to find a good home for the piece, which currently sits in Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

He said: “We need to have it where people can see it, but we don’t want a situation where people are stealing the statue and melting it down for money.

“Presuming our ownership is upheld, we will appoint a small group of people to decide where we can put the sculpture where it can still be enjoyed in east London.”

The sculpture was purchased by the London County Council in 1962 and then placed near three tower blocks on the recently constructed Stifford Estate in Stepney. It has been in Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield since 1997.

“To be an artist is to believe in life.” Happy birthday Henry Moore, born in this day in 1898! http://ow.ly/Qh9wn

MoMA The Museum of Modern Art

Henry Moore was born on this day in 1898. His "Large Torso: Arch" is on view now in the MoMA Sculpture Garden. http://bit.ly/1DdOiIW

[Henry Moore. "Large Torso: Arch." 1962-63. Photograph by John Wronn. © 2014 The Museum of Modern Art, New York]