Christie’s Dubai is holding a charity auction to help Lebanon rebuild its cultural scene in Beirut.
The online auction, staged under the title “WE ARE ALL BEIRUT — Art for Beirut: A Charity Auction,” will be held in late October to the first half of November 2020.
“Lebanon — its people, its culture and its creative community— has contributed so significantly to the wider art landscape and this sale provides an opportunity to demonstrate the extensive and long-term support and affinity that both the region and international communities have for the rebuilding of Lebanon’s cultural destinations,” said Caroline Louca-Kirland, managing director, Christie’s Middle East.
Kirkland said that the Christie’s initiative would include about 40 to 50 lots of international and regional art, jewelry, design and watches to raise significant funds to help rebuild the city’s art and cultural community, including Beirut’s historic Sursock Museum.
Christie’s held its first charity sale in the Middle East in 2004. Titled “Camel Caravan Charity auction,” it raised $1.3 million. The most recent auction, “Art for Al Balad,” was conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia in June 2019 and raised $1.3 million for a new heritage museum in Jeddah’s historical district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“Lebanese art has been at the heart of our Middle Eastern auctions since 2006 and Christie’s feels a deep sense of responsibility to be part of the global efforts to help rebuild Beirut, a city so rich in culture,” said Michael Jeha, chairman, Christie’s Middle East. “We have been so affected by the solidarity shown and the sincere wishes to help that Christie’s has received in the past week.”
This article has been adapted from its original source.
