The Andy Warhol Foundation, working with eBay for Charity, has achieved a milestone of over $3 million from the sale of more than 750 original Warhol works, printed material, and vintage posters and books originating from the estate of Andy Warhol to 329 unique buyers in 20 countries around the globe. With an average price of $3,787, this initiative establishes a new, global, and democratic source for discerning Warhol collectors of all budgets. Proceeds from the online sales generously contribute to the Foundation’s philanthropic mission to support a diverse range of artistic practices, having most recently announced a semi-annual distribution of over $4M in grants to 48 visual arts organizations.
The ongoing online sales offer items available for immediate purchase, as well as monthly online auctions of select materials from the Foundation’s collection. To commemorate the $3M milestone, the Foundation will present a curated online eBay auction—its largest to date—entitled Andy Warhol: Social Network, celebrating the talented, influential, and extraordinary people who were part of Warhol’s rotating social circle. The 50-lot auction, now open through April 3rd, includes original Polaroids, black and white photographs, prints, and vintage posters featuring dozens of notable subjects including Jean Michel Basquiat, Mick Jagger, Debbie Harry, Diane von Furstenberg, Candy Darling, and many others. Starting bids ranging from $500 to $24,000 provide unprecedented access to incredible works originating from the artist’s estate to a diverse audience of buyers worldwide. All works are accompanied by a certificate of provenance issued by Matchfire, the firm that manages eBay for Charity sales on behalf of the Foundation.
“Warhol remains one of the most influential artists not only through the enduring impact of his life and work but also through the philanthropy of the foundation he established,” said Michael Dayton Hermann, Director of Licensing, Marketing, and Sales at the Foundation. “This initiative has proven demand from global collectors of all budgets to purchase with ease and with purpose by utilizing a democratic platform while directly supporting the advancement of the visual arts.”
The photographic medium was central to Warhol’s practice and remains an important part of understanding his artistic and philanthropic legacy. “Photography was Andy Warhol’s secret weapon — the architecture of his oeuvre.” –New York Times, January 14, 2020. While many think of Warhol’s Factory as a place where art was mass produced, it was also a place where people from all walks of society gathered not just to see Warhol, but to see each other. “’Andy Warhol: Social Network’ honors the idea of community and coming together through the individuals depicted, the accessibility of the global platform, and the extensive reach of the foundation’s grantmaking,” added Hermann. The sale is accompanied by a digital catalog including brief biographies of the subjects.
About eBay for Charity:
eBay for Charity enables members of the eBay community to connect with and support their favorite charities when they buy or sell in the U.S. and abroad. Sellers can donate up to 100 percent of the proceeds to a charity of their choice, while buyers can add a donation to their purchase during checkout. To date, over $1 billion dollars has been raised for charity by the eBay community. Visit eBay’s For Sellers, For Nonprofits and My Causes pages to learn more about how you can work with eBay to support a good cause.
About Matchfire
Matchfire is an award-winning digital marketing and design agency specializing in purpose-driven work. Their auction division is the only online charity auctions group working exclusively with eBay. Matchfire has raised over $100 million for non-profits and helped garner billions of purpose-driven impressions for their partners.
Andy Warhol was enormously prolific. When he passed away, his estate included a large collection of his paintings, drawings, prints, and photographs. The Foundation, as beneficiary of the estate, has donated tens of thousands of these works to nearly 200 institutions, including a group of more than 3,000 works that now anchors the permanent collection […]
An iconoclast who refused to be defined by conventions, Andy Warhol claimed that “art is what you can get away with.” He painted consumer goods; adapted the techniques of mass production to make art; designed products, record covers, and award-winning advertising campaigns; collaborated with fashion designers; authored numerous books; directed music videos; founded Interview magazine; […]
“I take my camera everywhere. Having a few rolls of film to develop gives me a good reason to get up in the morning.”
Andy Warhol