India's art fraternity raises Rs 2 cr for Covid relief

The international sale featured over 120 works of modern and contemporary South Asian art which were generously donated by artists, gallerists, collectors and patrons to support the cause

'Art Rises for India', a 24-hour no-reserve, online fundraiser auction has raised over Rs 2 crores to assist on-going Covid-19 relief efforts in the country.

According to the auction house Saffronart, bidding from across the globe resulted in all lots being sold. The sale featured over 120 works of modern and contemporary South Asian art which were generously donated by artists, gallerists, collectors and patrons to support the cause.

All the proceeds from the auction, including the reduced Buyer's Premium, will be donated to nine grassroots non-profit organisations: Goonj, Hemkunt Foundation, YUVA, Dastkar, FICA, Khoj, Street Survivors, Aangan and Charaka. These teams deserve a special recognition for their incredible work on the ground to provide medical support and daily sustenance to those living on the margin, having encountered great loss, and/or in need, said Saffronart.

Saffronart CEO and Co-founder Dinesh Vazirani said, "This auction was made possible thanks to the indomitable spirit of the Indian art community that joined hands to raise funds to assist the NGOs doing critical work at the grassroots level during these unprecedented times. We sincerely thank the artists, gallerists, and collectors who have generously donated artworks for this fundraiser auction as well as the members of the art community who have enthusiastically bid on the artworks to contribute".

We are humbled by their participation that has allowed us to raise over rupees two crores to further aid Covid-19 relief efforts across the country."

The sale was led by an untitled work by Amrita Sher-Gil, which sold for Rs 15.88 lakhs, nearly doubling its lower estimate. Other highlights include a 2015 oil on canvas by A Ramachandran, which sold for Rs 7.32 lakhs, and Nilima Sheikh's Wakeful Night 4, 2021, which sold for Rs 7.26 lakhs.

Among the contemporary works, Imran Qureshi's work on paper titled 'When I Thought of You', 2017 sold for Rs 12.27 lakhs; N.S. Harsha's 'Beginning', 2019 sold for Rs 6.57 lakhs; and Atul Dodiya's 'Houseboat', 2013 - 2019, a watercolour on paper, sold for Rs 3.01 lakhs.

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