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We are delighted to announce our upcoming philanthropic initiative that will take place during Frieze and coincide with Christie’s 20/21 marquee week sales. The initiative will feature work generously donated by more than 20 celebrated artists from around the world, and proceeds will benefit Blue Marine Foundation’s conservation work.
The crisis facing our oceans
Around the world, our oceans are in danger like never before. A triple menace of biodiversity loss, habitat destruction and climate change threaten the health of the ocean – on which all life on earth depends.
In the United Kingdom, most marine protected areas are still open to bottom trawling – a destructive fishing practice that catches species indiscriminately; destroying seafloor habitats and disturbing the seabed itself – releasing the carbon stored back into our oceans. Overfishing is rife and catch limits set well above scientific advice threaten the UK’s ocean inhabitants.
In the Mediterranean, overfishing and coastal development endangers the rich biodiversity and ecology that has sustained life for thousands of years. Similarly, in the Maldives, excessive tourism, coastal developments and environmental exploitation degrade the country’s reefs and “blue carbon habitats” such as seagrass and mangroves.
Without protection, governmental lobbying and science-led recommendations, habitats that have nourished civilisations, nurtured cultures, and been the cradle for countless artistic movements, are facing the abyss.
Blue Marine’s mission
Blue Marine is a UK charity with a global impact in promoting the protection, regeneration and sustainable use of our planet’s ocean, and it is committed to supporting the UN’s Global Framework goal of “30×30” – protecting 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030.
By harnessing the power of art to transcend language and culture, Blue Marine is raising funds through Blue: Art for the Ocean.
Blue: Art for the Ocean
Through partnerships with artists around the world, Blue Art for the Ocean will highlight the current state of our oceans and leverage international support to create lasting change. In collaboration with Christie’s of London, the auction will take place during October’s Frieze Art Fair, London (9th-13th), London, and will benefit initiatives that protect our ocean.
One of the first artists to get involved is the celebrated Serbian conceptual and performance artist, Marina Abramović, who has created a unique multimedia piece for the auction. Known for her immersive work that challenges beliefs and rouses emotions, Abramović paved the way for the acceptance of performance art in museums and made history as the first female artist to host a major solo exhibition in the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 2023.
Marina’s artwork that will be auctioned for Blue: Art for the Ocean is a photograph (the first of an edition of three, plus two artist’s proofs) captured during a unique performance in May 2024. Filmed on Fire Island in New York, Performance for the Oceans (2024) depicts Abramović giving her unconditional love and energy to our oceans, stressing the urgent need for their preservation.
Other internationally renowned artists involved in this initiative include Yoshitomo Nara, Edmund de Waal, Lydia Blakeley, and Jonas Burgert, among others.
Join us in supporting this important cause. Together, we can make a lasting impact and difference in ensuring the health of our oceans for future generations.
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