LONDON.- Christie's announces a special fundraising initiative during its upcoming 20/21 Marquee Week in October, benefiting* Artists for Climate Action, a collaborative fundraising initiative created by world-leading climate charities Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) and ClientEarth, who have joined forces to build the most impactful philanthropic platform at the intersection of art and culture. Artists Igshaan Adams and Patricia Leite have generously donated work to be offered in the 20th/21st Century London Evening Sale (14 October 2026) and the Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale (15 October 2026) to support Artists for Climate Action*.
Following on from the successful landmark partnership with GCC and ClientEarth in 2021, Artists for ClientEarth, Christie's is delighted to support Artists for Climate Action in its mission to transform art-world influence into real-world climate action, underscoring its ongoing commitment to reducing its carbon footprint across logistics, travel, energy use, waste management, packing materials and supplier engagement.
Through artworks generously donated by artists and their galleries and sold through auctions, private sales and editions, the Artists for Climate Action initiative raises vital funds to address the climate crisis at two interconnected scales: supporting GCC's work to accelerate environmental action and systemic change across the visual arts, while powering ClientEarth's strategic legal action to hold governments and major corporations accountable and protect people, nature and the climate. By bringing together artists, galleries and collectors, Artists for Climate Action harnesses the cultural and economic influence of the art world as a force for positive environmental change.
Igshaan Adams's practice, shaped by his South African roots, explores and challenges racial, sexual, and religious boundaries. This layered intersectional landscape is a recurring theme in his practice, acting like a palimpsest where personal histories are continually inscribed and rewritten, through a very personal exploration of materiality. The work donated by the artist to support Artists for Climate Action, The certainty of being a rose (ii), 2026 (estimate: 60,000–80,000), combines a complex array of beads, thread, and textile components in a form that seems to hover between sculpture, textile, and drawing. For Adams, the work also speaks to the urgent reality of the climate crisis. In this work, the artist turns his attention to the beauty and fragility of the natural world: the rose becomes a meditation on an ideal of natural perfection that is ultimately unattainable, while suggesting that precisely this perfection is something worth protecting.
Patricia Leite lives and works in So Paulo; she has developed a visual language to express intimate thoughts and memories, much like an old journal or sketchbook filled with collected memories. Vibrating between figuration and abstraction, Leite's practice explores the movement from a solid state to an inconstant moment. Often working on solid wood panels and creating striking colour contrasts, she confronts the audience with their abstraction and vibrancy. Her choices stem from a desire to capture a moment, drawing on experiences such as basking in the sun in Minas Gerais, watching a carnival parade, or contemplating nightfall on the beach. In Brilhante, 2026 (estimate: 20,000-30,000), the artist presents a striking nocturnal landscape: a deep blue sky stretches above a dark green, undulating mountain range, punctuated by a single bright white moon. Painted on wood, the work captures Leite's fascination with light and her ability to transform familiar landscapes into something more fleeting and dreamlike.
Heath Lowndes, Director of Gallery Climate Coalition: “The art world has enormous cultural influence and Artists for Climate Action is about turning some of that influence into tangible climate impact. By bringing artists, galleries and collectors together, we can generate meaningful resources for change within our own sector while supporting action far beyond it. We're incredibly grateful to Igshaan, Patricia, their galleries and Christie's for generously collaborating with us on this initiative.”
Laura Clarke, CEO ClientEarth: “Art helps us imagine different futures, and that has never felt more important than it does today. It creates space for reflection, challenges assumptions, and inspires new ways of seeing the world around us. At a time when progress on climate and nature is increasingly contested, the environmental challenges we face remain too large for any one organisation or sector to solve alone. That is why we treasure the support we receive from the art world for the work we do on behalf of people and nature. We are enormously thankful to the artists Igshaan Adams and Patricia Leite for their generous gifts, to Christie's and Thomas Dane Gallery for their support, and to Gallery Climate Coalition, whose partnership has been instrumental in bringing Artists for Climate Action to life. Through these auctions, these extraordinary works will provide critical support for work to protect our planet."
Katharine Arnold, Vice Chairman 20/21 at Christie's: “We are delighted to support Artists for Climate Action during Frieze Week, and we thank the artists and their galleries for their generosity in advancing the pioneering work of GCC and ClientEarth. Partnering once again with these landmark organisations reflects the power of collaboration and the essential role the art world can play in driving positive change.”
The works by Igshaan Adams and Patricia Leite will be on view as part of the 20/21 Marquee Week exhibition at Christie's London from 8 October 2026 – the exhibition is free and open to all. More information on christies.com
* 50% of the hammer price for these lots will benefit ClientEarth, a registered charity in the United Kingdom, charity number 1053988; and 50% of the hammer price for these lots will benefit Gallery Climate Coalition, a registered charity in the United Kingdom, charity number 1193687.
