International Water Foundation One Drop Sets New Record Raising $8.8M for Safe Water Initiatives During Charity Art Event

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- International water foundation One Drop, in partnership with Phillips Auction House, is thrilled to announce the success of contemporary art auction Art for One Drop, which broke its fundraising record by raising $8,797,600 to benefit One Drop's safe water initiatives in Latin America.

The tremendous results of the Friday, September 21 auction held at Phillips Auction House included the sale of all fifty-one lots donated by today's leading artists. Five new artist records were set, with many lots realizing well over their pre-sale estimates. Highlights included David Hammons' Untitled, which sold for $880,000, and Tracey Emin's I Listen To The Ocean And All I Hear Is You, which brought in $495,000 for the cause.

In an exclusive collaboration with the Sprüth Magers gallery, and under the direction of renowned curator and critic Philipp Kaiser, Art for One Drop brought together leaders in the contemporary art space around the cause of access to safe water. Guests experienced the auction, which included fifty-one works donated by today's most recognized and admired artists worldwide, followed by a recognition celebration imagined by the creators of The Box and Queen of the Night and inspired by One Drop's life changing work in Latin America.

Over 300 individuals, art buyers, artists and leaders in the contemporary art space from around the world attended Art for One Drop. The full list of artists who donated artworks include:

"Guy Laliberté and his whole team at One Drop are true visionaries who have worked to create a difference in the lives of many, moving the dial on important issues that should concern us all," said Jean-Paul Engelen, Phillips' Worldwide Co-Head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art. "Phillips is honored to have been involved with One Drop and to have played a role in such a great sale. We are also grateful for the incredible generosity that we have seen from the artists and galleries who also helped to support the auction. Through all of our combined efforts, we were able to offer truly extraordinary works of art by some of the most significant artists working today. Their participation speaks highly to the art community's dedication to supporting causes that will bring awareness and change to regions throughout the world that need it most."

One hundred percent of the net proceeds of Art for One Drop will directly go towards One Drop's projects in Latin America, namely through its Lazos de Agua program, centered on Social Art for Behavior Change that will help transform the lives of more than 200,000 people in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia and Paraguay, through sustainable access to safe water and sanitation.

"We're thrilled with the incredible success of Art for One Drop, and are so grateful to the buyers, bidders, artists, art dealers, galleries, advisors and Phillips Auction House for joining us to make change possible. We'd like to thank all buyers who purchased the incredible art that was donated to support One Drop's mission. We owe the tremendous success of Art for One Drop to you," said Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil, One Drop Foundation and Lune Rouge. "Art for One Drop was our first art auction, representing a great expansion of our philanthropic circle, and further solidifies my belief that art can be a great catalyst for change." 

Art for One Drop was held at Phillips Auction House on Friday, September 21, 2018 in New York City and was supported by media partner CULTURED. The event kicked off with a preview cocktail at 6pm followed by the auction at 7pm. The room gathered a select audience composed of art collectors, business leaders and philanthropists. Following the auction, hundreds of attendees enjoyed a beautiful celebration made possible by Château d'Esclans, Fever-Tree Tonic, Kikori Whiskey, Tabl'eau Filtered Water, Tao Group, Tequila Casa Dragones, and Valmont. The party experience was imagined and designed by Variety Worldwide around the theme of the Latin American deities to celebrate the region that will benefit from the auction's proceeds.

For more information on One Drop's global water initiatives, please visit: www.onedrop.org.             

ABOUT ONE DROP
One Drop is an international foundation created in 2007 by Cirque du Soleil's founder Guy Laliberté. At the core of its mission is access to water, sanitation and hygiene as a transformative force to improve the living conditions of some of the world's most vulnerable communities. With the objective of delivering long-term impact and sustainability, One Drop brings into all its projects a unique Social Art for Behavior Change approach that aims at engaging communities in taking ownership and embracing adequate behaviors towards water, sanitation and hygiene. Once completed, One Drop's projects will reach over 1.3 million beneficiaries around the world through sustainable access to safe water and sanitation.

To learn more about One Drop, visit www.onedrop.org. 

Interact with One Drop on Facebook and Twitter at @onedrop, or on Instagram @1dropwater

ABOUT PHILLIPS
Phillips is a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art and design. With dedicated expertise in the areas of 20th Century and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewelry, Phillips offers professional services and advice on all aspects of collecting. Auctions and exhibitions are held at salerooms in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, while clients are further served through representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips also offers an online auction platform accessible anywhere in the world.  In addition to providing selling and buying opportunities through auction, Phillips brokers private sales and offers assistance with appraisals, valuations, and other financial services.
Visit www.phillips.com for further information.

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SOURCE One Drop

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