UAE charity art auction raises Dhs36.6 million for ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign
- 25 Apr 2021
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
A ‘100 Million Meals’ live charity art auction held in Dubai on Saturday raised over Dhs36,673,000 to provide food parcels for disadvantaged individuals and families across 30 countries.
The charity auction recorded a sell-out of all valuable items, raising Dhs36,673,000, which will help provide 36,673,000 meals to beneficiaries in 30 countries throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan.
The exclusive auction, organised by Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) had on display a piece of Kaaba cover donated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai donated from his personal collection.
Other rare artworks, were made available, by many of the art world’s greatest contemporary masters including Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Joan Miro, Henry Moore and David Hockney. Two rare drawings by late South African President Nelson Mandela were also up for bidding.
The charity auction was an innovative addition to the existing donation channels that MBRGI had established for the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign and expanded the donor pool to include art collectors and enthusiasts.
The International Charity Art Auction was attended by crème de la crème including Shiekha Latifa, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister for Artificial Intelligence, industry leaders from the UAE; Wimbledon legend Boris Becker, boxing legend Amir Khan, Marjorie Harvey, Steve Harvey’s wife, grandson of Pablo Picasso, Ralph Merkle, co-inventor of public key cryptography, Mona Kattan, Co-Founder of Huda Beauty & Kayali Fragrances, and many more.
Sacha Jafri
The auction hosted the British-Indian artist Sacha Jafri, painter of ‘The Journey of Humanity’ that holds the Guinness World Record for the largest art canvas.
A part of Sacha Jafri’s 'The Journey of Humanity' painting was sold for $4.2 million, the highest amount bid for any artwork in the auction.
Kaaba Cover, part of the personal collection of Sheikh Mohammed, was sold for $2.7 million.
A New Hope - A Child’s Prayer
Jafri’s piece that features handprints and signatures of the many celebrities supporting the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Eva Longoria, Steve Harvey, Maria Bravo, and Roger Federer, Boris Becker, Amir Khan and Marjorie Harvey was also auctioned during the event.
Nelson Mandela
The ‘Swallow’ black and white by the late South African President Nelson Mandela, which came directly from his family, along with ‘The original ‘Swallow’ line drawing, were both auctioned during the event.
Henri Matisse
French artist Henri Matisse’s one-of-a-kind ‘Fleurs dans un vase’ drawing was also auctioned during the event.
Pablo’s Designs
Among the items on bid were Pablo Picasso’s gold medallions, commissioned to the prominent goldsmith Francois Hugo to create a series of patters, dishes and medallions in gold and silver made after the original designs were sketched by Picasso himself.
The seven medallions up for bidding at the auction are: ‘Faune Cavalier’, a 5-cms 23-carat gold medallion, ‘Visage de Faune’, another 5-cms 23-carat gold medallion, ‘Profile de Jacqueline’, a 5.5-cms 23-carat gold medallion, ‘Horloge a la Ligne’, another 5.5-cms 23-carat gold medallion, ‘Jacqueline Au Chevalet’, a 5-cms 23-carat gold medallion, ‘Tete Au Masque’, a 5-cms 23-carat gold medallion, and ‘Vaullaris’, a 5-cms 23-carat gold medallion.
Salvador Dali
The original pencil on irregular verge gris paper, ‘Etude de visages: Madonna, enfant et profile d’homme’ (Study of faces: Madonna, Child and Profile of a Man).
David Hockney
Two of Hockney’s pieces were auctioned. ‘In Front of House Looking West’, signed and stamped by the artist in pencil, while his second piece ‘Matelot Kevin Druez 2’, which depicts a sailor smoking a cigarette while gazing provocatively into the observer.
Joan Mir
Two pieces for Spanish painter Joan Mir collectively generated Dhs771,000. The first - ‘Untitled’ - was handed over for Dhs220,000 to Umar Kamani, co-founder of Pretty Little Thing, while the second artwork - ‘Personages, Oiseau’ -painted on plywood.
Henry Moore
The last item on the bidding list was Henry Moore’s bronze sculpture with a dark brown and green patina, titled ‘Mother Holding Child’.
Target Achieved
The auction raised additional funds for the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign, which had achieved its target on Thursday by raising a whopping Dhs100 million in just 10 days from its launch, thanks to the generous donations of 185,000 companies and individuals inside and outside the UAE.
On-Going Donations
The ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign remains open for donation through four simple channels. First, on the campaign’s website www.100millionmeals.ae; second, via making a transfer to the designated bank account through Dubai Islamic Bank (AE08 0240 0015 2097 7815 201); third, by sending "Meal" by SMS on the specified UAE numbers (Du or Etisalat) listed on the website; fourth, by contacting the campaign call center on the toll-free number 8004999.
Food delivered
Food parcels’ distribution have already begun to empower targeted groups across the world to prepare their own meals during the holy month of Ramadan.
To ensure swift and integrated distribution, the MBRGI is working with several international and local partners in each beneficiary country to deliver the parcels, including the UN World Food Programme.
The UAE, through its humanitarian initiatives, is committed to offering relief and support to those in need, especially after the outbreak of COVID-19 exacerbated hunger and malnutrition among poor populations.
