Director of the Tate Modern, Maria Balshaw, stands in front of the donated triptych by Joan Mitchell flanked by US-Argentinian businessman Jorge M. Perez and his wife Darlene Perez

Director of the Tate Modern, Maria Balshaw, stands in front of the donated triptych by Joan Mitchell flanked by US-Argentinian businessman Jorge M. Perez and his wife Darlene Perez

 Ben STANSALL

London's Tate Modern unveiled a huge, spectacular abstract painting by acclaimed US artist Joan Mitchell on Thursday, part of one of the "most significant gifts" to the gallery in recent decades.

Donated to the iconic museum on the banks of the River Thames, the "Iva" triptych is six metres (19 feet) long and was painted by Mitchell in 1973.

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.