Is that homemade rainbow picture in your window starting to fade in the sun? Happily, an upgrade is now available courtesy of Damien Hirst. Britain’s pre-eminent contemporary artist has joined forces with two charities of particular pertinence at this moment, to create two digital prints that are on sale for a limited period — right now until Monday 25 May — offering you the chance to own a Hirst original at a fraction of the usual price, which stretches well into the millions.
Returning to his beloved butterflies, which have inspired him so much in the past, Hirst has used coloured photographs of the insects’ wings to make a rainbow and heart, which can each be bought as prints in two sizes, at two prices: £300 for the smaller, £1,000 for the larger.
Butterfly Rainbow’s profits will be donated to NHS Charities Together, a collective of more than 230 charitable bodies working to provide vital funds for the NHS and support its staff, volunteers and patients.
Profits from Butterfly Heart will go to The Felix Project, a London-based initiative redirecting surplus from the food industry (restaurants, supermarkets, wholesalers, farms, delis and more) to charities and community groups that deliver it to those who need it most.
The pressure on both of these charities has increased exponentially during the COVID-19 crisis – the NHS needs vast amounts of support to cope with the virus, and not only is hunger a wider problem in our cities than many realise, but it is only set to increase once we start to deal with the aftermath of the pandemic. The Felix Project has partnered with the Evening Standard and The Independent in a new campaign to try and raise £10m, which would feed vulnerable Londoners for the next three years.
The limited-edition prints can be purchased from HENI Editions.
Butterfly Rainbow can be downloaded here to show support for the NHS.
Butterfly Heart can be downloaded here to show support for the Evening Standard’s #FoodForLondonNow campaign.
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