LONDON.- This week Christie’s are offering an original unique maquette on Friday (23 October) at Christie’s in London. All the money raised from the sale will go to Hackney Council for the creation of a new groundbreaking public art fund that will commission artists across East London with an inclusive remit.
‘Holding Hands’ depicts two figures facing in opposite directions yet holding hands in a sign of universal love and solidarity. Traditionally cast in patinated bronze, the four metre outdoor sculpture is roughly twice human height, the hands low enough for the viewer to reach, with legs forming a doorway to pass through. The unique quarter sized bronze maquette of ‘Holding Hands’ is for sale at Christie’s in London as part of their Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Sale.
‘Holding Hands’ was gifted to Hackney Council by STIK and all the money raised from the sale of the maquette will create a new wave of outdoor public art across the borough for the enjoyment of all, reflecting the diverse community. Operated in a transparent and inclusive way, the fund will be open to all artists regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age or other status. The programme aims to respond to evolving attitudes towards public statues and subsequent reappraisal across the world.
Artist STIK says: ‘This project is intended to facilitate artists in East London to celebrate the diverse communities who live here.’
Mayor of Hackney Philip Glanville, said: ‘I’d like to thank STIK for his record of activism, collaborating with the borough and this generous donation. We’re proud in Hackney to be able to support and share the creativity of our residents. This represents a longstanding commitment to inclusive public art that can be enjoyed by everyone in our parks and public spaces and I can’t wait to see the creativity that STIK is helping us to showcase and unlock.’
STIK has become known globally for his large scale murals, some of the largest in the world. He has had successful exhibitions of his paintings and sculptures around the world, his work has sold at major auction houses and his monumental public artworks can be found in the streets of cities such as New York and Tokyo. He has lived and worked in London for 20 years, creating public art across the city including numerous murals in his local neighbourhood of Hackney, many as a way to give voice to the various communities in the borough. Stik co-founded the Dulwich Outdoor Gallery, set up MyMural, an organisation that lets Council residents curate the art on their estates, and raised core funding for the art therapy room at Hackney NHS Hospital. He also has a history of supporting good causes and to date has so far raised £500,000 for charities and initiatives.
