Art collecting for a cause - Artworld - Brief Article

With the arts being promoted by the press and politicians as a form of solace after the WTC disaster, the New York art world sought to find its own response to the disaster. Prompted by dealer David Zwirner, local gallery owners got together to create the I [love] NY Art Benefit. As we go to press, some 100 New York galleries have signed on, as well as numerous galleries in other cities, such as Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Paris. Dealers in some cities had already begun planning various types of fund-raisers before joining with the New York effort, though each city is tailoring its benefit to suit its circumstances.

From Oct. 26 to Nov. 3, participating galleries are donating proceeds from the sale of designated works to the Robin Hood Relief Fund, set up by the Robin Hood Foundation [www.robinhood.org] for WTC victims and their families. (The foundation, established in 1988, serves as an umbrella group for over 100 New York City charities that fight poverty.) The new relief fund is intended to help the lower-income victims, like janitors, cafeteria workers and shoeshiners, and their families, as well as uniformed personnel. Certain galleries, such as Zwirner's, are mounting group exhibitions with works by their artists created especially for the benefit. Other galleries that were unable to rearrange their schedules are opting to have a smaller selection of works available in their viewing rooms or side galleries, or will contribute the revenue from particular works for the benefit. In most cases, the artists have donated works and the galleries are forgoing their commissions. For more information, visit the project's Web site at http://ilovenyartbenefit.org.

Twenty-five galleries in Manhattan's Fuller Building on 57th Street are coordinating a separate benefit. A silent auction of artist-donated works will be held on Oct. 26 from 5 to 9 P.M. A preview of the available pieces can be seen on Artnet.com. Tickets are $50 each; all proceeds from the auction and ticket sales for the event will go to the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund, which since 1985 has assisted families of police officers or firefighters killed in the line of duty with both immediate assistance and an annual check [www.nypfwc.org].

In late November or early December, New York's auction houses will hold a benefit sale of fine art, jewelry, furniture and decorative arts that will be broadcast live and will include real-time Internet bidding. Details were not available at press time.

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