Tate removes more than 30 Graham Ovenden works from collection after child sex conviction

Artist Graham Ovenden, 70, of north Cornwall, arriving for trial at Truro Crown Court (PA)

The Tate has removed more than 30 prints by the artist Graham Ovenden from its online collection and will not show any of his works at its galleries following his conviction for a string of child sex offences.

Ovenden was found guilty of six charges of indecency with a child and one count of indecent assault at Truro Crown Court on Tuesday.

Despite the artist and photographer's images of children, some nude, triggering several legal actions over the years, his work was highly regarded in the art world and displayed in galleries globally including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

But now the Tate, which received 34 of Ovenden’s prints in 1975, said it would no longer be offering any of them online or to view by appointment.

A spokeswoman said: “Graham Ovenden is an artist of note, whose work has been widely shown over more than 40 years. However, following his conviction at Truro Crown Court, Tate is seeking further information and is reviewing the online presentation of those editioned prints by him that are held in the national collection.

”Until this review is complete, the images will not be available online and the works will not be available to view by appointment.“

The prints include a work inspired by Alice in Wonderland and images of young girls.

Ovenden told police he was one of the ”two or three great printers“ in the world, but the court heard that his portraiture formed part of a ruse for abusing girls, making them dress in Victorian clothing before removing it and committing indecent acts.

Ovenden, of The Garage in Barley Splatt, near Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, has yet to be sentenced and was released on bail.