Neo Rauch Makes a Sacrifice for Haiti

Katya Kazakina does a little inventory on the upcoming Haiti charity sale organized by David Zwirner at Christie’s. One little known fact about charity auctions, according to Sarah Douglas of the New York Observer, is that the artists themselves are only allowed to deduct the cost of materials as part of their donation, not the market value of the art.

So while collectors get the benefit of Christie’s waiving its fees, the artists are making real sacrifices to see that funds flow toward Haiti. In the case of Neo Rauch, he’s even undermining his next gallery show. Kazakina explains:

Leipzig-based Rauch gave a 10-by-7-foot canvas, “Chor,” estimated to sell for $600,000 to $800,000. Rich in purple, it depicts a mysterious choir scene in the woods.

“This painting was meant to be in my upcoming show,” said Zwirner, referring to his Rauch exhibition in November. “So that one hurts a little bit.”