VANCOUVER, BC.- How do you raise nearly one million dollars in a single night to fund exhibitions and educational programs at the
Vancouver Art Gallery ? Through the tremendous generosity of distinguished artists, private galleries and top collectors across Canada and the United States , who have donated more than 70 outstanding works of art to the Gallery for DESIRE: Art Auction 2012. Internationally renowned artists Roy Arden, Edward Burtynsky , Robert Davidson, Rodney Graham, Ken Lum, Landon Mackenzie, Gordon Smith, Ian Wallace and Jeff Wall are among those who have personally contributed works for this major charitable event.
Art patrons and artists will converge at the Gallery on Saturday, February 18 for the gala fundraiser, beginning with an exclusive reception and live auction in the galleries at 6pm. Following the live auction, the evening will continue at the nearby Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver with dinner, a silent auction featuring nearly fifty artworks, and dancing to the beat of Famous Players.
The Honorary Chair of Art Auction 2012 is artist Gordon Smith, with Philip B. Lind, Toronto and Bruce Wright, Vancouver , serving as co-chairs. The event’s presenting sponsor is Wesgroup, with additional funding from supporting sponsors Fasken Martineau and Goodmans.
Among the works in the auction will be a work by artist Jeff Wall titled Steve’s Farm, Steveston. Produced in 1980, it is one of Wall’s early panoramic landscape images and marks an important juncture in this acclaimed artist’s career as he begins to explore the documentary photograph.
Art Auction 2012 artists include: Fiona Ackerman, Bill Anderson, Cam Andrews, Roy Arden, Shuvinai Ashoona, B.C. Binning, Eli Bornowsky, Karin Bubas, Edward Burtynsky, Lincoln Clarkes, Dana Claxton, Scott Conarroe, Robert Davidson, Christos Dikeakos, Gathie Falk, Geoffrey Farmer, Graham Gillmore, Greg Girard, Ann Goldberg, Máximo González, Angela Grossmann, Hadley + Maxwell, Gabryel Harrison, Anthony Hernandez, Fred Herzog, Jeremy Hof, Brian Howell , Patrick Hunt, Shawn Hunt, Holger Kalberg, Ann Kipling, Dion Kliner, Evan Lee, Lyse Lemieux, Micah Lexier, Ken Lum, Landon Mackenzie, Myfanwy MacLeod, Scott McFarland, Elizabeth McIntosh, Kerry James Marshall, Alex Morrison, Eadweard Muybridge, James Nizam & Roger Eberhard, Paul P., Itee Pootoogook, Elspeth Pratt, Harald Pryn, Natalie Purschwitz, Bill Reid, David Robinson, Danny Singer, Gordon Smith, Mark Soo, Carmelo Sortino, Ron Stonier, Ron Terada, Jeff Thomas, Jutai Toonoo, Renée Van Halm, Stephen Waddell, Ken Wallace, David Wilson, Paul Wong, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Don Yeomans, Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, Zhang Huan and Elizabeth Zvonar. The auction will also feature donations from designers Reed Wong, REDFLAG DESIGN and a unique package offering 300 hours of architectural service from Perkins + Will, Vancouver.
Art Auction 2011 was the most successful in the Vancouver Art Gallery ’s history, with proceeds of nearly $1.2 million in support of exhibitions and educational programs.
