Ellipse (Blue)

Charles Saatchi's interest in 'young' British art went back to the 1990s, although he had been collecting international contemporary art for more than 30 years and since 1985 had shown his collection through exhibitions in the Saatchi Gallery in London. In 2000, he wanted to make it possible for galleries beyond London to show new British artists to a wider audience. Charles Saatchi and the Art Fund therefore selected 39 works to give to 7 galleries throughout the country. These galleries were chosen for their interest in contemporary art but also because they had a limited budget for such purchases. The works epitomise the creative energy of young British artists during the 1990s and today and show the diversity of these artists' ambitions and concerns and the wide range of media that they draw upon to express them.