Last weekend in Paris Yvon Lambert, the well-known gallerist, hosted a charity sale called 'Art Protects' to raise money for AIDES, a French organization which campaigns against AIDS and was founded after the death from AIDS-related illnesses of the French philosopher Michel Foucault. Lambert invited 1,000 artists to participate in the fundraiser, and 450 agreed to donate a work of art, including Olafur Eliasson, Erro, Jochen Gerz, Nan Goldin, Douglas Gordon, Candida Hofer, Anselm Kiefer, Zoe Leonard, Christian Marclay, Ettore Spalletti, Mario Testino, Lawrence Weiner and Erwin Wurm. Each work donated was 4 x 6 inches, regardless of whether it was a print, drawing, collage, photograph, painting or 3D work. Each work was sold for 100 € (£68) but no details about the artist were given prior to the sale. Only once the purchase had been made could the buyer discover the artist's signature on the back of the work.
The experience was something close to the "who did what?" game. Some artists made works that kept to their own distinctive style, while others used this as an opportunity to cover their tracks, scrambling their usual visual language and sometimes leaving no recognisable traces. Displayed on the same wall, works by young unknown artists were shown alongside those by internationally acclaimed established artists.
By 10 am on Saturday 50 people were already queuing outside the gallery, eager to be the first inside the doors to snap up a bargain by a famous artist. Many were there specifically to help AIDES and at the same time to buy themselves a piece of art at a good price - like one happy buyer I spoke to: "I usually give to AIDES. Thanks to this event, I get a work of art as well!"
Over 55 000 € (£37,500) was raised for AIDES in just two days.
Laetitia Chauvin
Parisian Laetitia Chauvin graduated in art history before working as a researcher at the Vancouver Art Gallery (Canada) and at the Guggenheim Museum (New York). Back in France she's works at the French ministry of culture in the department of visual arts, helping artists and art centres to develop. Since 2003, she has been the European representative of the New York art world magazine and more recently has written for Code (Belgium). She is currently working on projects with Nuke magazine (France) and the space Ideal Glass in New York.
To contact her email: laetitia.chauvin@culture.fr.
)
)
)