FEATURES ARCHIVE

The auction is to be held in association with A.V.E.C. Could you tell us about this foundation?
Founded by the eminent Professor Khayat, A.V.E.C. (Association pour la Vie et l’Espoir contre le Cancer) is a charity which is dedicated towards the treatment of patients with cancer and is available to all patients in France, regardless of their means or their address.The Association deals with all aspects of the illness from medical research to therapeutic treatment and even emotional support for patients. All proceeds from the auction will go towards expansion, renewal and improvement of Professor Khayat’s service based at the hospital of Pitié – Salpetrière in Paris to ensure that more patients can benefit from his wonderful work. From his contributions to the Journal of Oncology to his presidency of the National Cancer Institute, Professor Khayat’s contributions to the field since his first steps as an oncologist have been recognised on a global scale.

How did the sale come about?
François Pinault is a great benefactor of the charity and came up with the idea. He contacted living artists asking them to donate works for the auction and was met with a very generous and positive reaction from across the globe. Every individual has been touched by cancer in some way.They have been very generous with their contributions, some even creating pieces specifically for this event. As a result, we are presented with an interesting forum in which we can study the subject of cancer through the eyes of some of the world’s foremost contemporary artists.

What messages do we see in the works contributed? Are there many references to the illness?
It is interesting.The works range from very explicit references to very subtle suggestions of mortality, loss or healing. For example, the piece by Aya Takano is done in her typical superflat style with a very overt message – a sort of family tree narrating the way cancer can pass down from one generation to the next. Her familiar female heroines are saddened here by a disease that attacks their family. On the other hand Murakami’s fun and colourful work sings the praises of acupuncture, a form of healing which is very important to him, and Hirst’s work entitled Golgotha represents mortality and the ephemeral nature of human existence. Remaining true to his style,Yan Pei Ming has chosen to replace his usual protagonists, Mao and the Pope, with a unique portrait of Professor Khayat, the hero of this charity. Each artist has been faithful to his or her distinctive style whilst honing in on an aspect that they care about personally.