USA: Art for America preview before auction in aid of families of victims of the September 11 World Trade Center terror attack

Record ID: 243777

  • Title: USA: Art for America preview before auction in aid of families of victims of the September 11 World Trade Center terror attack
  • Date: 26th November 2001
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY NEW YORK MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI
  • Embargoed: 11th December 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts
  • Reuters ID: LVA2HLZV0G7LUKBWWCXXIWAEMDIX
  • Story Text: An art auction that started with one painting has become one of this year's major charity events. Over 300 items are for sale for the benefit of the families of the victims of the World Trade Center attack of September 11.
    An idea for an art auction that includes over 300 items started with just a single painting. Artists and celebrities donated personal items that will be up for gind in a New York City auction on Monday (November 26) evening to raise money for the victims of the World Trade Center attacks.
    The goods run from pop culture to high culture as the entertainment elite mingles with the fine art world to raise a hoped 500,000 (US) dollars. Three pairs of shoes, red, white, and blue, were donated from Elizabeth Taylor's personal collection and have been getting quite a bit of attention along with a signed print from pop superstar Michael Jackson.
    Curt Johnson, of New World Inc, the company that is organising the event, said, "It came from Tom Christopher's painting back here. He had given it to the city, the Museum of New York for a tribute show they were doing the Sunday after September 11th. I asked him what he was going to do with it and he didn't know, so we decided to auction it. Ane then we called the auction houses and everyone came on board and it just started from there."
    Some notable photographs taken in the days following September 11 don't come from a well-known photographer, but are sure to get quite a price. New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani took many photographs in the days following the World Trade Center attacks.
    Johnson said, "Everyone's been like, 'Those are his, did he take those?' cause people just don't believe that he, along with running a city, and running through this, that he was able to take the time to take photographs. So I think everyone's been surprised that they are actually really good too."
    The bidding does not end on Monday night. Organisers were so innundated with goods that they set up a follow-up auction online that will begin on Thursday (November 27) at www.artforamerica.org.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.
Register