By Nomfundo Manyathi-Jele
The Lawyers against Abuse (LvA) held its second annual art auction in September. The artworks and photographs that were auctioned off were donated by various collectors, as well as established and emerging artists.
Claire Veitch who does LvA’s marketing and communications told De Rebus that 52 pieces were sold at the auction, raising R 220 000. She added that R 70 000 was raised last year. ‘It is a phenomenal 214% more than the amount raised in 2012,’ she said.
Ms Veitch said that the bids ranged from R 650 to R 49 000. ‘While many of the pieces echoed issues close to the [LvA] cause, others were light and bright, linking the passion of the artists to the passion of the LvA team’, said Ms Veitch.
Ms Veitch said that the proceeds of the auction will be used to provide LvA clients with professional legal advice, assistance and representation in cases relating to gender-based violence.
LvA is a team of specialised lawyers who work with psychologists to provide direct and immediate legal services to women, children, adolescents and men who are survivors of gender-based violence.
The auction was a joint initiative of LvA and arts insurance company, Artinsure, as well as auctioneers of decorative and fine arts, Stephan Welz & Co.
Ms Veitch said that LvA is completely dependent on fundraising so it needed to be proactive by running its own fundraising initiatives. ‘The art auction idea came into being last year as a positive and inspiring way to celebrate 16 Days of Activism in South Africa’, she said.
Nomfundo Manyathi-Jele, nomfundo@derebus.org.za
This article was first published in De Rebus in 2013 (Nov) DR 15.