Sacha Jafri shakes hands with Andre Abdoune, who bought his artwork for $62 million at auction at the Atlantis hotel in Dubai. Reuters
"The Journey of Humanity", Sacha Jafri’s ground-breaking painting created during COVID-19, has been sold for Dhs227,757,000 ($62 million) - double the amount it aimed to raise in support of children around the world most affected by the pandemic.
The painting was purchased by Andre Abdoune at a charity auction that took place at Atlantis, The Palm on March 22, 2021.
Originally, the painting was to be sectioned into 70 lots but now thanks to its sale to Abdoune, it will be kept together for all of humanity.
"It was my dream in my life to do something amazing for my children, for my father. I talked with Sacha and I discovered the investment and love he put into this painting was so amazing. All my life I was aiming to help children. When I was a child, I had nothing to eat. Now I have something to eat. We all have to do something.
"The Journey of Humanity" is part of Sacha Jafri’s charitable initiative "Humanity Inspired" that was launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, in partnership with Dubai Cares and Atlantis, The Palm.
The painting was created by Jafri at Atlantis, The Palm over a seven-month period, 20 hours a day.
"As an artist and a humanitarian for more than 25 years, this is a moment in my life; this is a moment for humanity. At the beginning of my "Humanity Inspired" initiative, I had a vision to reconnect our broken planet through the hearts, minds and souls of the children of the world. I feel in my heart that we have come one step closer to achieving this tonight, thanks to Andre," said Sacha Jafri.
Two highly valued and sought-after collector pieces were also sold during the auction including the "Brushes Piece" - an artwork created by Jafri of the original brushes used in the creation of the record-breaking masterpiece as well as a framed piece, "Clothing Worn by the Artist" featuring clothing worn by the artist during the painstaking seven-month-long process inside the ballroom of Atlantis, The Palm during the lockdown.
"We are extremely proud of the milestone that "The Journey of Humanity" has reached today. This initiative by Sacha Jafri serves as a powerful testament to the strength of human collaboration and will always remind us of the beautiful outcomes we can achieve if we come together with a shared vision for a better world," said Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares and Member of its Board of Directors.
Dubai Cares will route the funds raised during the historical auction to "Humanity Inspired’s" beneficiary partners including Unicef, Unesco, The Global Gift Foundation and Dubai Cares for different programmes aimed at addressing issues related to children’s digital access to connectivity and learning, as well as healthcare and sanitation.
Select pieces from the record-breaking artwork are displayed at the Leila Heller Gallery, the largest in the UAE, located at the Alserkal Avenue, Dubai.
WAM