Artists Asked to Donate Work for Women for Women International

Women for Women International have called on female artist to donate their work to help support women survivors of war.

Artists have been invited to donate their art to the Gagosian Gallery by Women for Women International to raise money for female survivors of war and civil strife.

Nadja Romain is the key advocate for Women for Women International, and initiated this year’s project with artist Jenny Saville.

“The idea of the exhibition is to raise awareness,” Nadja Romain told The Fresh Outlook. “We want to establish Artists for Women for Women International as a recurrent project. It might change in its form, but the goal is to keep on raising awareness and funds to support the work of the organisation.”

Nadja Romain and Jenny Saville have co-organised this year’s event, and 23 artists have donated 23 art pieces to the auction.

Jenny Saville is a British contemporary artist and is known for creating paintings of naked women. Ms Saville contributed art last year, and is continuing to support the charity by donating another piece of art work.

Nadja Romain and Jenny Saville united to invite artists to donate their work after hearing a speech given by Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International, at the House of Lords in London. Ms Romain has described the artists’ pieces as “beautiful works”, claiming their generosity is “amazing”.

They both asked female and male artists to donate their work to be auctioned by Christie’s, a saleroom that showcases “extraordinary art”, in their Post War and Contemporary Day Sale during the Frieze Art Fair which will open on October 13.

Ms Romain told us that she is definitely hoping to increase the amount raised last year, and as only five artist donated work in 2010, she has already seen a “big difference”.

“If the auction goes well this will make a difference to thousands of women’s lives, which extend then to their family and community,” said Ms Romain.

The exhibition runs until Saturday October 1 at the Gagosian gallery at 6 – 24 Britannia Street in London and the auction will take place on October 15.

By Bethan Hâf Marsh

[Image courtesy of Carsten Holler]