NEW YORK, NY.- Christies announces Unquestioning Love: An Auction to Benefit the New York City AIDS Memorial. This auction will present a select group of 19 artworks by leading contemporary artists that will be sold across two live sales taking place at Christie's New York this November. Sixteen lots will be included in Christies New York Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale on November 12 and two works will be featured in the 21st Century Art Evening Sale on November 9 Dana Schutzs Smokers, 2021 (estimate: $400,000 600,000) and Nicolas Partys Landscape, 2021 (estimate: $300,000 500,000). Both works being sold in the 21st Century Art Evening Sale are dedicated pieces, created specifically by Schutz and Party to support the New York City AIDS Memorial and the organizations mission.
The selection of 16 artworks in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale represents an exciting cross-section of contemporary art stars across a range of disciplines, with works by Elmgreen & Dragset, Sam Gilliam, the Haas Brothers, Jim Hodges, Shara Hughes, KAWS, Rashid Johnson, Trevor Paglen, Adam Pendleton, Ugo Rondinone, Sarah Sze, Salman Toor, Jonas Wood, and Lisa Yuskavage, many made for the event. The sale will also include works by Robert Mapplethorpe and Keith Haring, both of which were generously donated by the artists foundations. The total estimate of works within the Day Sale is $1,131,000 - $1,652,000. Also included in the grouping is a sculpture by Jenny Holzer, which will be available for private sale. The proceeds of the sale, occurring as the New York City AIDS Memorial celebrates the 10th anniversary of its founding and the 5th anniversary of its public dedication, will help create a vital and strategic fund that will ensure the preservation of the Memorials physical space in perpetuity and support and strengthen many future years of ambitious arts, cultural, and educational programs.
Dana Schutz comments: "The work of the New York City AIDS Memorial is necessary, as is honoring the memory of so many lost to the epidemic. I am proud to be donating this work to ensure their stories continue to be told."
Nicolas Party comments: So many talented artists - a whole generation of mentors - were lost to AIDS. To know that they, and the over 100,000 other New Yorkers, are being remembered through the New York City AIDS Memorial and their public cultural and educational programs is moving. It is an honor to be donating work to support the Memorials future.
Jenny Holzer comments: "REMEMBER LOVE."
Keith Fox, New York City AIDS Memorial Board Chair, comments: Ten years ago, a small group of volunteers was inspired to build a memorial to honor the 100,000 New Yorkers who died from this disease. Now, five years after its dedication, the New York City AIDS Memorial has become a sacred space for all New Yorkers and visitors alike. The work of our organization ensures a robust calendar of arts and educational programming, created to inspire future generations and to make certain that the memories of those weve lost, and our shared history as New Yorkers, are never forgotten. We are thankful to the incredibly talented and generous artists who have contributed to this important fundraising effort."
Kathryn Widing, Christies New York Associate Vice President and Post-War and Contemporary Art Specialist, comments: "Christie's is honored to be partnering with the New York City AIDS Memorial on this landmark auction. The auction's title, Unquestioning Love, is inspired by the text on Jenny Holzer's bench that she generously donated for private sale. The title of the auction underscores the unwavering support of the artists, galleries and artist estates who donated and made top quality works for this specific sale, as well as the steadfast vision of Keith Fox and Dave Harper and the others who made this auction possible."