The auction was presided over by renowned auctioneer Stephan Welz of Strauss & Co, and featured the work of the following artists: William Kentridge, Anton Smit, Deborah Bell, Cameron Platter, Dylan Lewis, Matthew Hindley, Colbert Mashile, Mikhael Subotzky, Lionel Smit, Gerhard Deetlefs, Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi, Barend de Wet, Anton Karstel, Sue Pam-Grant, and Johann Louw. Lionel Smit’s work Girl Submerged achieved the highest result of the evening of R190,000, a record for the artist in South Africa, followed closely by Deborah Bell and Dylan Lewis. Read more below…
Download: Press release - FACET Auction 2011
London, November 2011
The FACET Foundation raises R1.4 million at a special fundraising art auction at Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa
On Thursday, 24 November 2011, the Delaire Graff Estate hosted a charity art auction featuring the donated works of 15 leading South African artists to benefit FACET (For Africa’s Children Every Time), the charity set up by Laurence Graff in 2008. The evening was in support of FACET’s latest partnership with the Pebbles Project, a South African-based charity created to provide support to the vulnerable children of the Winelands. The funds raised on the night well exceeded expectations, with a grand total of R1.4 million being raised for a very good cause.
FACET aims to provide a crucial resource for the Pebbles Project through the development of a Graff Leadership Centre that will be built in the Stellenbosch Winelands. The Centre will support Pebbles in their mission to better the lives of children from disadvantaged backgrounds with special educational needs, through providing support and training to local children and establishing after-school provision for older children living in the Winelands. It is reported that a staggering 12% of children in the area suffer from Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.
The evening included a drinks reception, followed by a dinner featuring the work of culinary genius Chef Christaan Campbell paired with Delaire’s award-winning wines, with entertainment provided throughout the night by one of South Africa’s most celebrated female groups, 3 Tons of Fun. Former Miss South Africa Jo-Ann Strauss officiated as Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s guests who included South Africa’s top philanthropists and art collectors.
The auction was presided over by renowned auctioneer Stephan Welz of Strauss & Co, and featured the work of the following artists: William Kentridge, Anton Smit, Deborah Bell, Cameron Platter, Dylan Lewis, Matthew Hindley, Colbert Mashile, Mikhael Subotzky, Lionel Smit, Gerhard Deetlefs, Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi, Barend de Wet, Anton Karstel, Sue Pam-Grant, and Johann Louw. Lionel Smit’s work Girl Submerged achieved the highest result of the evening of R190,000, a record for the artist in South Africa, followed closely by Deborah Bell and Dylan Lewis.
The evening also featured additional lots courtesy of Delaire Graff Estate, including two cases of Delaire’s Reserve wine range, two exceptional vintages created by the Estate’s award-winning winemaker Morné Vrey. The Reserve range includes the Delaire Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2008 and the Delaire Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2009. The Delaire Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine reflecting the true expression of the Estate’s terroir, has gained the well deserved rating of 5 stars in the “2011 Platter’s Wine Guide”. An indulgent weekend for two at Delaire was also auctioned, as was a shopping experience at the 100% Capri boutique located on the Delaire Graff Estate. The final lot of the night was a beautiful diamond butterfly necklace courtesy of Graff Diamonds, featuring 49 stunning diamonds. A special prize draw featuring a variety of exclusive prizes was also held on the night.
To continue the fundraising activity, a special Tree of Hope from the evening will stay on display in the reception of Delaire Graff Estate. Envelopes are tied to the tree with coloured ribbon, each colour representing a donation level such as helping a child improve their literacy skills, and are available for purchase from Reception at Delaire Graff Estate. In addition, a voluntary donation of R10 will be added to every Delaire Graff Restaurant bill, and R5 of every bottle of Delaire Chenin Blanc 2010 sold from the Delaire Graff Estate will be donated to FACET.
The evening was a memorable showcase of incredible talent and treasures that South Africa has to offer, and raised a significant amount of funds for a very worthwhile cause.
FACET is very grateful to all the artists and galleries who have donated work, including iART Gallery (now Brundyn + Gonsalves), SMAC Art Gallery and the Goodman Gallery.
For further information please contact:
Tanja Mackay-Davidson Marketing and PR Manager Delaire Graff Estate marketing@delaire.co.za +27 21 885 8166 www.delaire.co.za
Lily Liebel
PR & FACET Foundation Coordinator lily@graffdiamonds.com
+44 (0) 7290 7627 www.graffdiamonds.com www.facet-foundation.org
South African painter, Lionel Smit, has been invited to contribute a
painting to be auctioned at a charity event at Christie’s during
London’s Frieze Week – October 2009
Cover of Christies Catalogue
Lionel Smit’s painting sold for £26 000.00
Painting was estimated at £6 000.00 - £8 000.00
view action results:
- GRAFF Diamond Earrings – Khotsa Nala - £60,000
- Anselm Reyle – Untitled - £35,000
- Tracey Emin - Suffer Love IX - £10,000
- George Condo - Young Girl with Makeup - £38,000
- Banksy - Heavy Weaponry - £18,000
- Do Ho Suh - Karma - £14,000
- Raqib Shaw - The Mild-Eyed Melancholy of the Lotus Eater - £200,000
- Ed Ruscha - Uh Oh - £15,000
- Richard Pettibone - Andy Warhol, ‘Soup Can, Turkey Noodle’, 1962 - £7000
- Jeff Koons – Stacked - £8000
- Marc Newson - Orgone Chair - £4000
- Stephane Graff - Louvre 1 (Mona) - £7000
- Toby Ziegler - Social Contract (2nd Version) - £14,000
- Marc Quinn - Crest of Mount Vinson - £110,000
- Damien Hirst - Porter Rhodes - £100,000
- William Kentridge - Iris II - £10,000
- Deborah Bell - Horse and Rider III - £8,500
- Lionel Smit - African Girl, ‘Injabulo’ - £26,000
- Dylan Lewis - Male Trans-Figure IV Maquette - £8,500
- Tom Friedman – Untitled - £6000
- Chistoph Schellberg - Milton’s - £6,500
- Erwin Wurm - Mann Mit Apfel - £2500
- Claude Lalanne - Nouvelle Pomme Bouche - £3200
- Dennis Hopper - Paul Newman, 1964 - £28,000
- David LaChapelle - Archangel Michael: And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer - £26,600
- Gerald Laing – Kate Moss II - £1980 (Raffle money collected)
The charity, For Africa’s Children Every Time (F. A. C. E. T.), was set up by Laurence Graff, Chairman of
Graff Diamonds and world-renowned art collector, in an effort to give back to the countries from whence
many of Graff Diamonds’ most coveted stones emerge. Set up in 2008 in memory of Graff’s late mother,
Rebecca, the charity aims to raise funds towards the education and support of children who are left
orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic that has swept across Africa.
To this end, F. A. C. E. T. will be holding its first major charity fund raiser – an art auction during London’s
Frieze week in October this year at a reception at Christie’s. Set to be a prestigious event, the supporting
committee includes high-profile personalities, among them actors Hugh Grant and Uma Thurman,
supermodel Naomi Campbell and Christie’s President Jussi Pylkannen who will serve as the auctioneer.
On the art front, among glittering internationals – such as Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and Banksy – will be
found South Africa’s own Lionel Smit.
Smit first encountered Laurence Graff when Graff purchased a painting from him for his Delaire Graff
Wine Estate. Off the back of this purchase and the ensuing artist/collector relationship, Graff requested
that Smit donate a work to the F. A. C. E. T. event. Smit chose to paint a portrait specifically for the
auction. The piece, entitled African Girl, will be delivered by Smit in person to London for the event in
October.
True to form, African Girl is an oil painting of a scale larger than Smit himself. Rendered in Smit’s
distinctive gestural technique, African Girl portrays Smit’s sensitivity to the details of the living human
face. As one of only three South African artists chosen to be a part of an international charity auction,
Smit’s choice of subject is apt – it would be surprising if the significance of the African Girl, as artistic
embodiment of those to whom F. A. C. E. T. is reaching out, went unnoticed in this context.