First Art Sale to Benefit Amnesty International

For the first time 150 international artists have joined “Artists for Amnesty” donating their works to a fundraising art exhibition and sale to benefit Amnesty International.

The art works valued in excess of 1.4 million dollars, range in value from 400 to 95,000 dollars each. They are by worldwide, notable artists such as Frank Stella (USA), Fernando Botero (Columbia), Alex Katz (USA), Leroy Neiman (USA), Julian Schnabel (USA), Christo (France), Alfredo Jaar (Chile), Francesco Clemente (Italy), as well as entertainers such as singer Tony Bennett (USA), actor Dennis Hopper (USA), Bono of U2 (Ireland) and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones (England).

“This exhibition demonstrates the commitment of the artists who have donated works to helping insure that the fundamental human rights are protected, ” said John G. Healey, director of Amnesty International. “Artists are like Amnesty: they need freedom to do their work,” he told TASS.

The exhibition’s primary purpose is to raise funds for Amnesty International to enable them to continue their struggle against political imprisonment, torture and execution. Its secondary purpose is to raise public consciousness towards these goals. One of Amnesty’s ways of achieving this is by highlighting the case of a particular prisoner. Prominent displays in both galleries focus on four prisoners of conscience. The public is encouraged to write letters to the countries holding these prisoners.

“The arts community would automatically be involved in freedom of expression on any level,” said artist Robert Motherwell, one of the contributors. The relationship between Amnesty and artists is a long and fruitful one. Picasso and Calder were members, as was Miro who produced original works for their 1977 campaign.

Amnesty International is a nobel prize-winning, independent, worldwide movement working impartially for the release of all prisoners of conscience, fair and prompt trials for political prisoners, and an end to torture and executions. It is funded by donations from its members and supporters in 150 countries.

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