The Macmillan Cancer Support and De’Longhi have joined forces to launch a groundbreaking new fundraising initiative that offers collectors the opportunity to acquire an element of a single major artwork by a famous artist that has been broken down into numerous components.
The “Shared” project features contributions by the likes of Richard Wilson, Bouke de Vries, Idris Khan, Richard Wentworth, Liz Rideal, Humphrey Ocean, Annie Morris, Alastair Mackie, and Stephen Chambers who were invited to create works on the basis that they would be broken up and sold in parts.
Proceeds from all sales will help fund Macmillan Cancer Support’s “Not Alone” campaign which is working to support the 2.5 million people in the UK living with cancer to ensure no one faces cancer alone.
The “broken” works will be showcased and available to buy from September 10-13 during a free exhibition at Somerset House which has been produced in collaboration with the independent curator Kathleen Soriano, Director of Exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts.
Highlights include a site specific installation by Richard Wentworth, a set of prints by Humphrey Ocean, a photographic installation by Bouke de Vrie, and one of Liz Rideal’s photo booths which will enable visitors to be a part of, and also acquire an element of, a collaborative montage.
Kathleen Soriano, curator of the exhibition, says: “This exhibition is timely in its unusual approach to co-ownership in a world where contemporary art regularly breaks new price records at auction, seeming to be only for the few.”
“SHARED has been developed with a view to challenging artists to think outside of their normal practice and to be inventive in considering how their own work might support such a concept, whilst at the same time chiming with Macmillan’s attitude to care and support.”
Richard Wilson says: “The miracle of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes played out through a contemporary art charity exhibition. Great idea to take one work and distribute it to some, with all the possibility of a future reuniting as a special occasion.
“It’s exciting to be involved with unusual ideas when it comes to charity fundraising initiatives with a twist.”
For more information visit the project website here.
Click the slideshow to see a selection of the works from the exhibition.
