Double dose of animal crackers

Staff at the Tate Gallery may have been holding their breath last week in anticipation of receiving 50m from the Millennium Commission (DW 3 November), but they were holding their noses this week.

As reports in the national press reveal, the gallery’s Turner Prize shortlist exhibition had an unexpected hitch at its opening last week. Shortlisted artist Damien Hirst hoped to exhibit Mother and Child, Divided – a cow and calf bisected and presented in two parts.

Unfortunately, fears that the formaldehyde might seep out have prevented public scrutiny.

And according to a Tate insider, there may have been some nasty chemical reactions going on. The unfortunate creatures’ flesh had a mishap during transportation. But the press office denies all knowledge.

Meanwhile, devilish and dastardly doings at the William Morris museum in Walthamstow, East London, have caused the Victoria & Albert Museum to send in a rescue team, after a man ran amok last week. “He smashed vases, carved something into a table and overturned a case of Chaucer – isn’t it absolutely awful?” said a distressed V&A spokeswoman.