International Art Exhibition Come Silent Online Auction Featuring 140 International Artists

For the month of June, art patrons, curators, gallerists and art lovers alike are invited to attend "Choose Art | Give Light to Refugees"; an online exhibition come silent auction in support of charity helprefugees.org. All funds received from the sales of artworks will be donated directly to Help Refugees. Launching on Monday 8th June and spanning three weeks, the online exhibition aims to raise funds for the refugees affected by the COVID-19 crisis through the love of art.

Choose Art | Give Light to Refugees showcases a wide spectrum of art from 140 well-established and emerging artists from all corners of the globe via silent auction website Galabid. With internationally renowned artists including Anita Taylor (UK), Emmanuelle Bousquet (France), Ian Howard (Australia), Sunyoung Hwang (South Korean), Guy Warren (Australia), Stacie McCormick (US), Belinda Fox (Netherlands), Luke Sciberras (Australia) and Hyejin Shin (South Korean), the exhibiting artists all bring a unique perspective for this global cause.

Open until Friday 29th June, the general public are invited to attend the online exhibition, bid in the silent auction, and in turn support Help Refugees; a pioneering charity movement in humanitarian aid that advocates for long term impact against injustice and provides critical support to vulnerable communities, particularly those affected by the current global pandemic.

"The threat of COVID-19 breaking out in the overcrowded, unsanitary refugee camps where we work, is huge and terrifying. With our partners on the frontlines, we are doing everything we can to prevent outbreaks whilst also preparing for the worst," said Philli Boyle, Director & Head of Partnerships Help Refugees.

"We could not be more grateful to Nicky Ginsberg and her amazing curatorial team Choose Art Give Light to Refugees and to all the artists and buyers who contribute to this very vital cause. This generosity will go a long way to helping us meet the needs on the ground at this challenging time."

Led by an impressive curatorial committee of industry professionals, international curators, directors and gallerists who have worked in private, commercial, and museum sectors, the exhibition has a passionate committee at the helm. Founded by Nicky Ginsberg, long standing gallerist and Director of NG Art Creative Residency (France), the project has brought together an esteemed curatorial team consisting of international art historian, curator and Consulting Director of Drawing Projects UK Gary Sangster (UK), Sohyun Kim (UK), Gabriella Beaumont (Australia) and Ellinor Pelz (Australia), all who have worked alongside Nicky on international curatorial projects.

"During this global pandemic the support of the world is crucial in achieving our goal, ultimately raising funds for Help Refugees and artists who have also been severely impacted by this outbreak. Placing them on an international online stage for all to see, will further generate interest to their work, sales and new audiences whilst supporting those in need with the most basic sanitary necessities and conditions," said founder Nicky Ginsberg.

A high-profile honorary committee of international arts patrons, philanthropists, collectors, curators, writers and academics are also supporting Choose Art | Give Light to Refugees. This includes the highly-esteemed Anthony Bond OAM, former Director Curatorial (Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney); Dean of UNSW Art & Design Professor Ross Harley (UNSW, Sydney); visual arts specialist and co-founder Penny Harris (Parker Harris); Elena Hill, Director (AMI / IMAGE EXPANDED UK); Dr Adam Lerner, former director and Chief Animator (Museum of Contemporary Art Denver); Jean-Hubert Martin former director of several museums : Kunsthalle Bern, Musée d'art moderne Centre Pompidou, Musée des arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie, Paris and Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf; Paul Sumner, Senior Advisor (Artvisory Pty Ltd) and founder (Silk Road Asia); Stacie McCormick, Director (Unit 1 Gallery | Workshop, Workshop Foundation); CEO, Loh Lik Peng (Unlisted Collection); CEO, Dr Stanley Quek (Greencliff); Professor Anita Taylor (Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee, Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize, Drawing Projects UK); Director Jonathan Watkins (Ikon Gallery); Donna West Brett, Associate Professor in Art History and Curatorial Studies University of Sydney.

"In these difficult times it is important not to lose sight of the suffering of those in circumstances even more difficult than ours. We can make a difference in their lives and we can be generous despite all the sacrifices everyone has had to make. There will be few who have not been impacted by these difficult times so we must all try to help each other for the good of all," said Lo Lik Peng, honorary committee member and philanthropist, arts patron, international hotelier/restaurateur and CEO of Unlisted Collections.

Choose Art | Give Light to Refugees is open from Monday 8th June to Monday 29th June and can be accessed via website Galabid | Choose Art Give Light to Refugees.