Richard Demarco threatens to burn his arts archive

The arts impresario, now aged 91, said his life’s work was in danger after he failed to find a home for a collection of more than a million photographs and 4,500 works of art.

Demarco, who is from Edinburgh, has expressed his dismay at the lack of support from the Scottish arts establishments in Rico – a major new documentary charting his life and work.

Speaking in the film, Demarco says: “I’ve got good reason for worry. “What would happen if I weren’t here? Who would take responsibility for it and where would it go? My whole life’s work is in danger. How many images are of great value when you consider the history of the Edinburgh Festival and the history of art?

“Who is going to bother looking at this? Do I burn this, get rid of it, because no-one’s interested in it? Nobody comes here, no-one gives a damn about it. This is the only archive of the Edinburgh Festival you’re going to find.”

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One of the true giants of international art, Demarco’s influence on Scotland, Europe and around the world is immense. He has presented art exhibitions, plays, music, conferences, and various other performances, mainly in Edinburgh and involving artists from at least 60 countries. These include all of central and eastern Europe during the Cold War, North and South America, Southern Africa, the Middle East and other parts of Asia.

Among the many who have paid tribute to his contribution is Sir Nicholas Serota, art historian, curator and director of The Tate until a few years ago. Sir Nicholas said previously: “I first met the inspiring figure of Ricky Demarco nearly 50 years ago when his boundless enthusiasm brought him to Oxford where I was director of what is now Modern Art Oxford.

“An artist, a writer and a philosopher – he brought contemporary visual arts to Edinburgh in the 1960s and 70s, his large survey exhibitions gave the Festival an international importance that was unmatched by any other gallery or exhibition in the UK.

“He introduced the work of outstanding artists like Joseph Beuys and Tadeusz Kantor to thousands of people. He also presented new art from other parts of the world, especially from what was then Eastern Europe, long before other people were interested.”

However, Demarco has said art is now used self-destructively as part of the world of tourism and become all about making profit. The documentary tells of Demarco’s fears the archive will end up “locked away” rather than used as an educational resource.

The National Galleries of Scotland has offered support for Demarco in the past, but the archive is not expected to find a new home until a new collection centre is built.

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During the film, Demarco is asked by Sir John Leighton, director-general of the National Galleries of Scotland, what he would like the future of his archive to be. Demarco responds: “I don’t have a five-year plan. That would be foolish. We’ve inherited a culture where art is now used self-destructively as part of the world of tourism. I can see that I’m going to be ending my life, if I’m not very careful, swallowed up in this nonsense.

“Art has been commodified so that unless it is about profit it is not taken seriously by our local or national government masters.”

The film also features actor Brian Cox telling Demarco: “What is so extraordinary about you, and absolutely no-one can beat you on this, is the detail. You’ve detailed everything to such an extent that it [the archive] is so unique. As far as I know, no-one has actually detailed every phase of modern, post-war cultural history. “That’s an astonishing achievement. That’s your legacy." He adds: “What people will eventually realise, if they want to know about how things were, they will go to Demarco because he’s the guy who marked it all the way along the line.”