BASEL.- eBay for Charity has partnered with artist Ernesto Neto to offer a limited-edition artwork, with proceeds benefitting the American Friends of Fondation Beyeler (AFFB). Available exclusively on eBay, the new work is titled We Are All Children of the Earth (2018), and is a numbered edition of 1,000 works with printed signature of the artist available for $620 each at eBay.com/ErnestoNeto, beginning July 23 through August 2, or until the works sell out.
The sale coincides with the Fondation Beyeler’s public art installation by Neto in Zurich Main Station, titled GaiaMotherTree, on view June 30 through July 29, 2018. Inspired by GaiaMotherTree, Neto’s latest sculpture is a hand-knotted crochet-bag carrying a holy fruit, the mango, made of stone plaster. The sculpture hangs from the ceiling with the mango suspended in the long, crocheted bag.
“At eBay, we’re passionate about supporting the work of recognized artists and using the power of our platform to make an impact”, said Sam Bright, eBay’s Senior Director, Art & Collectibles. “Our collaboration with the Fondation Beyeler and Ernesto Neto brings one of the artist’s signature sculptures exclusively to our 171 million active buyers and supports the public art exhibition inside Zurich’s main train station.”
“Ernesto Neto is one of the most important contemporary artists worldwide”, added Sam Keller, Director of Fondation Beyeler. “His work brings us back to the roots by connecting us with nature. I am delighted that he created this beautiful sculpture, which brings together so many aspects of his work. We hope that many will be enchanted. We’re thrilled to partner with ebay for Charity to make contemporary art more accessible and affordable.”
Neto’s ideas have been influenced by the Brazilian Neo-Concrete movement of the 1960s and also by Minimal and Conceptual Art, and Arte Povera. Spirituality, humanism, and ecology are among his principal concerns. His work since the 1990s has been characterized by the use of materials and techniques that are unusual in art. His sculptures and installations often feature biomorphic forms and organic materials, with transparency, sensuality, and a spirit of community playing a major role. Viewers can touch the works and walk through them or set them in motion; in many cases, they also appeal to the sense of smell. The visitor is invited to concentrate on his or her own perception and interact with the work and its environment.
Neto is one of Brazil’s most important contemporary artists. His work has won worldwide recognition, with several presentations at the Venice Biennale and exhibitions in the world’s leading museums. Neto’s work has been collected by, among others, the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Tate Modern, London; the Centre Pompidou, Paris; and the Hara Museum, Tokyo.
