Galerie Claude Lemand

24 June 2020

I.M.A.gination - CHRISTIE’S PARIS - Online Charity sale. From June 24 to July 16, 2020.

Jack Lang
Former French Minister of Culture and Education
President of the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris
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Claude and France Lemand, who have already donated more than 1,500 works of art to the IMA Museum since October 2018, are once again to be celebrated for an act of generosity to the art world with a donation of 44 works to be sold online by Christie’s. Proceeds from the sale will provide young artists from the Arab world with the support they need to continue their work.

The collection of works offered encompasses over 60 years of the artistic output of their celebrated predecessors. Highlights include a 1959 painting by Shafic Abboud to nine paintings by several artists, from the Tribute to Notre-Dame series, another project initiated by the Lemand’s to commemorate the Cathedral fire of 2019.

Recognising that the struggle faced by all young artists to support themselves has been made even more challenging given the health and economic crisis that is affecting the world, the Lemand’s have chosen to act. In total, some twenty artists from the Arab World, living in France, Europe, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon will benefit.

As with all the world’s benefactors, the Lemand’s recognize the importance of artists as the light bearers of the world and hope that the money raised will enable this group of young Arab artists to produce works which reflects the profound transformations taking place in the communities in which they work and live.

The works in this charity sale represent 26 artists from ten Arab countries attractively valued with estimates from €1,000 to €40,000. Christie’s Paris will be offering these works in an online sale, running from June 24 to July 16, 2020.

Claude and France Lemand were among the first to believe in the creativity of contemporary artists from the Arab world. Their act of patronage will continue this endeavor, just as their donation to the IMA Museum has done so much to celebrate the previous generation of Arab artists. I am delighted to lend my support to this wonderful charity sale.