Art gallery raises Rs55,000 in auctions
Paintings being sold online to raise funds for deserving families
Detail of a painting which was auctioned online by Gallery6 to raise funds for the destitute. PHOTO: EXPRESS
To raise funds to purchase rations for deserving families in the federal capital who have been the worst hit by the lockdown imposed to curb novel coronavirus (Covid-19) spread, one art gallery has decided to auction artworks in its library. It has so far raised Rs55,000 with the sale of three paintings.
Moreover, it is also offering online classes to generate funds.
Gallery6 in Islamabad, a relatively recent entrant to the art scene in the federal capital and which hosts one of the few art awards in the private sector, has decided to raise funds to support the underprivileged and destitute families in the federal capital.
The first initiative was launched this past Sunday where the gallery started an online auction of paintings every day. To raise as many funds as possible, the gallery said that they had kept the base price of each painting to around a fifth of its original gallery price. Hence, the three paintings auctioned via an online system, all started with a base price of at least Rs6,500.
The three paintings auctioned until Wednesday had fetched a combined total of Rs55,000, sufficient to procure and distribute a week’s rations for 25 deserving families.
“This is a two-pronged approach which will not only help collect money for the people in need but also provide an opportunity to art lovers to acquire paintings at substantially lower prices, even lower than the price at which some artists gave it to the gallery,” explained Gallery6 curator Dr Arjumand Faisel.
Dr Faisel, who is also a trustee of the Horizon International Trust, said that they had identified and listed over 1,000 families in and around the federal capital who require urgent support.
To raise funds, Dr Faisel said that he decided to launch the online auction, similar to ArtAid launched by other artists in the federal capital.
“As I floated the first painting, which was mine, I started getting calls from several artists that they would also like to donate their paintings for the cause,” he said, adding that over the past three days, they have received several offers and have a good collection to offer every day for a few weeks.
The paintings auctioned so far were a miniature figurative from Dr Faisel, an abstract from Riaz Rafi, a calligraphic piece from Wasil Shahid and another calligraphic artwork from Javed Qamar.
Dr Faisel further said that Islamabad-based calligrapher Shahid had offered to conduct online classes for calligraphy from his home and donate all the fees for those in need.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2020.
Moreover, it is also offering online classes to generate funds.
Gallery6 in Islamabad, a relatively recent entrant to the art scene in the federal capital and which hosts one of the few art awards in the private sector, has decided to raise funds to support the underprivileged and destitute families in the federal capital.
The first initiative was launched this past Sunday where the gallery started an online auction of paintings every day. To raise as many funds as possible, the gallery said that they had kept the base price of each painting to around a fifth of its original gallery price. Hence, the three paintings auctioned via an online system, all started with a base price of at least Rs6,500.
The three paintings auctioned until Wednesday had fetched a combined total of Rs55,000, sufficient to procure and distribute a week’s rations for 25 deserving families.
“This is a two-pronged approach which will not only help collect money for the people in need but also provide an opportunity to art lovers to acquire paintings at substantially lower prices, even lower than the price at which some artists gave it to the gallery,” explained Gallery6 curator Dr Arjumand Faisel.
Dr Faisel, who is also a trustee of the Horizon International Trust, said that they had identified and listed over 1,000 families in and around the federal capital who require urgent support.
To raise funds, Dr Faisel said that he decided to launch the online auction, similar to ArtAid launched by other artists in the federal capital.
“As I floated the first painting, which was mine, I started getting calls from several artists that they would also like to donate their paintings for the cause,” he said, adding that over the past three days, they have received several offers and have a good collection to offer every day for a few weeks.
The paintings auctioned so far were a miniature figurative from Dr Faisel, an abstract from Riaz Rafi, a calligraphic piece from Wasil Shahid and another calligraphic artwork from Javed Qamar.
Dr Faisel further said that Islamabad-based calligrapher Shahid had offered to conduct online classes for calligraphy from his home and donate all the fees for those in need.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2020.