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Mimi Foundation: The Power of Love

RESULTS

On 16 October 2013, The Mimi Foundation Auction, one of a series of events planned for Frieze Week in London with the aim of raising funds for the cancer charity founded by influential collector Myriam Ullens, achieved a remarkable result. £1,291,400 was raised for 8 star lots donated by some of the world’s most influential contemporary artists, with a further £95,000 achieved on the final lot of the night - two weeks on The Red Dragon; the 52m-long private yacht belonging to Mr and Mrs Ullens.

Simon de Pury, a long-time friend of the Ullens, conducted the auction which saw each of the works reaching great numbers as prices were pushed up in honour of the cause. The first lot of the night, a gold jewel by Ugo Rondinone kicked off the sale, tripling its original estimate to achieve £25,000. BC (4442), a major work by Sterling Ruby, created specifically for the event, inspired an energetic bidding battle, outstripping its estimate to achieve more than £185,000. Tracey Emin’s neon The Kiss was Beautiful quadrupled its estimate, to achieve £122,500. A bespoke iris portrait donated by Marc Quinn sold for £194,500.

The highest price of the evening was realised when Yan Pei-Ming’s Portrait of HRH The Prince of Wales, the first ever portrait of The Prince of Wales by a Chinese artist, sold for £302,500. The total raised will be split between The Mimi Foundation and The Prince’s Drawing School.

OVERVIEW

This October, Sotheby’s is pleased to present for sale an extraordinary selection of works in aid of the Mimi Foundation. Established by the prominent contemporary art collector, Myriam Ullens, this charity provides psychological and physical support for those undergoing treatment for cancer. Forty of the world’s leading names in contemporary art have donated works to fund the charity’s European expansion, from which eight pieces will be auctioned as part of a gala dinner hosted to honour this special event. Works by Ugo Rondinone, Tracey Emin, Sterling Ruby, Marc Quinn, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Zhan Wang, Farhad Moshiri and Yan Pei-Ming to be sold on the evening of 16th October (invited guests only) will proceed the auction of the remaining pieces as part of theContemporary Art Day Sale on the 18th October (lots 301-333). Signature works by Andreas Gursky, Antony Gormley and a group by prominent Chinese artists lead the sale and reflect the deep interest and commitment to promoting contemporary art held by Myriam Ullens and her husband Guy.


Please note that for the eight lots featured in the Gala Evening Auction, we are unable to offer our BIDNOW or Register for a Paddle services.  Clients are invited to leave an absentee bid or register to telephone bid.  Please contact Julie Noble julie.noble@sothebys.com or +44 (0)20 7293 5392 for further information.