With exemplary efficiency, the art market is showing solidarity in the fight against the Covid-19. It was Laurent Dumas of the Emerige group, president and shareholder of Piasa, who had the initiative of a charity auction for the benefit of the collective # protègetonsoignant, whose actions are linked to the public authorities. This will take place from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 April 2020, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A short period of time to mobilize buyers, while this type of sale usually lasts an average of one week.
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There will be no fees for sellers or buyers. And all the funds received will go entirely to the benefit of hospital staff, city doctors, liberal nurses, nursing assistants. They will be used to purchase protective equipment, medical devices and all kinds of needs.
“Bois” by Fabrice Hyber (2008-2009), mixed technique, pinned collages and resin on canvas, 200 × 200 cm, gift from Nicole and Jean-Claude Marian (detail). Fabrice Hyber
“There is an emergency so we acted in an emergency, setting up this sale in 48 hours. The responses were flowing from all sides to give us lots, nearly 150, as of Wednesday, to reach more than 300 at the time of the closing of the online catalog this Thursday afternoon, " explains the auctioneer Frédéric Chambre. Laurent Dumas has created several Whatsapp groups, or nearly 1000 people have received the call for donations. Hundreds of text messages have been sent. The information was widely relayed on social networks and snowballed. The communication operation was successfully carried out!
“Futuring”, by Eva & Adele (1999), color film on DVD (n ° 5/5). Eva and Adele Courtesy Noirmontart production
“By organizing this action, I felt like I was living again, when we are all in a deadly atmosphere. I focused on this project to forget for a while what is going on outside. This mobilized enormous enthusiasm. A tremendous surge of solidarity that has given me hope. We are in a state of emergency and we have worked in commando mode to complete the operation in so few days, ” says Laurent Dumas.
Galleries, artists, decorators, architects, collectors, all played the game: from Tatiana Trouvé, Gérard Traquandi, Mathieu Mercier, Annette Messager and Fabrice Hyber for artists, to India Madhavi, Pierre Yovanovitch and Charles Zana for designers and decorators, passing by the couple Jérôme and Emmanuelle de Noirmont (Koons, Pierre and Gilles, Valérie Belin), Fabienne Leclerc (in-situ), Nathalie Obadia (Carole Benzaken), Frank Prazan, or Kréo (2 drawings by the Bouroullec brothers).
“Nuit et Jour” by Andrés Segovia (1989), acrylic on panel, 130 x 97 cm, gift from Franck Prazan (detail). Andres Segovia
How is the sale? The estimate given is for information only. The price is 500 euros, up to the reserve. The price range is very wide to attract as many buyers as possible: from 500 to 150,000 euros. Or the user places a fixed and final order and the machine plays against the other bidders. Either he decides to stay behind his computer and wait for the email that tells him that his bid is exceeded to bid higher. The auction will end on Sunday at 6 p.m., or even a little later, if they are still contested at closing. You must register now on the Piasa site, as there is a form to fill out. The lots are not visible before the opening of the online sale at 6 p.m. Friday.