'We’re absolutely gutted' Exeter Phoenix galleries manager on the theft of an award-winning picture

With the distressing news that the winning picture of the Exeter Contemporary Open at the Exeter Phoenix – Henny Acloque’s Ovation 4 – has been stolen, we got in touch with galleries manager Matt Burrows to find out how the incident has affected the exhibition and what the implications are for the future

Matt told ArtsCulture: “We’re absolutely gutted as you might imagine.

“We do of course aim to be an open and accessible space, which we certainly see as one of our strengths. The security and safety of artworks is always given high priority, but always has to be balanced with achieving aesthetic and curatorial aims of both artists and curators.

“It has to be said that this kind of incident is incredibly rare and, although there is a commercial value to the art we exhibit, it can’t actually be realised by a thief in the way that a phone or car stereo can. That leaves the possibility of idiotic vandalism or that someone coveted the piece enough to wrench it off the wall, and on the whole our visitors aren’t that selfish or thoughtless. Our hope is that, whatever the motivation for this theft, we are somehow able to safely recover this fragile painting and place it back on display.

“Most importantly to me, the artist is obviously deeply upset, not least as this was an important (and her favourite) part of a series of paintings and ongoing body of work and visitors to the exhibition will miss out on an important and highly considered element of the Contemporary Open. There is of course a financial implication to us in terms of covering our insurance excess and of future premiums – both of which have to be seen in the context of our status as a charity preparing for the oncoming ‘perfect storm’ of funding cuts due to hit the sector.

“I am proud, however, to be able to bring challenging and ambitious exhibitions to the venue and would resist any suggestion that this kind of behaviour might affect what it is possible to offer our audiences in such a broad and accessible building.”

• Read about Henny’s win on our SouthWestShows site

(image: Henny Acloque’s Ovation 4, winning painting of the Exeter Contemporary Open 2010)