This week on FAD magazine we take a week-long look at art gifts for Christmas, We have asked some of our writers and art gallery friends to choose some great gifts, below are the choices of Lee Sharrock
@leesharrock
1. Jeremy Deller ‘Fuck You 2020’ print
Jeremy Deller has summed up my feelings about this crazy year quite succinctly with his new Fuck You 2020 print, which has been printed and produced in London with all profits supporting Young People Matter, Crisis this Christmas and Studio Voltaire, three charities that support children, young people and communities adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The open edition is £30 per print: https://www.newarteditions.com/jeremy-deller-fuck-you-2020/
2. Tom Beard ‘Rose’, 2020 print
During lockdown, those of us fortunate enough to have outdoor space found sanctuary in our gardens, so this delicate Tom Beard photograph of a rose captures the beauty of nature and illustrates the way we took solace in nature during this difficult time. Tom says he photographed the Rose on the set of Florence Welch’s ‘High on Hope’ cover shoot, calling it “an incidental still life of an enigmatic rose that was on set that day.”
‘Rose’, 2020, available from Cob Editions for £200 (edition of 25 plus 5 artist’s proofs): https://www.cobgallery.com/store/artworks/8111/
3. Marc Chagall original lithograph
Like most charities, Arms Around the Child has found it impossible to hold fundraising events this year, and the live auction of the ‘HeART & SOUL’ charity exhibition I curated back in the spring had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. So they are holding fundraisers online and their Christmas charity auction features a beautiful Marc Chagall ‘Le Bateau Mouche au bouquet’ original lithograph, as well as more contemporary artists including Mr Brainwash and Daniel Mernagh. Online until 9pm on Wednesday 16th December: https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/armsaroundthechildonlineauction
4. Stuart Semple ‘Snow – the world’s fluffiest snow dust’
When, back in 2017, Anish Kapoor haughtily declared exclusive ownership of a black paint pigment named ‘Vantablack’, Stuart Semple reacted by creating a black paint pigment named ‘Black 2.0’ and making it available to anyone – apart from Kapoor. Then ‘Culture Hustle’ was born and Semple’s home industry of creating paint pigments went viral. The latest addition to his ‘Artiest art gifts’ is a new seasonal pigment called ‘Snow – the world’s fluffiest snow dust’, perfect for budding artists: https://culturehustle.com
5. Prints for Music Stagehand fundraiser
As live music was one of the most hard hit industries during a year of lockdowns, many of the people who make a living as crew on live gigs found themselves out of work and fell through the net for government financial support. So the charity Stagehand set up a Covid-19 fund to enable crews to keep putting food on the table while they are unable to work. Photographer Ed Robinson came up with ‘Prints for Music’, an online Stagehand fundraiser featuring more than 100 portraits of iconic musicians including David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Liam Gallagher, Florence Welch, Debbie Harry and Primal Scream. Until we can get together and dance in a crowded venue again, the next best thing may just have to be one of these prints. Genesis www.genesisimaging.co.uk have generously been printing for free. Each A3 print is £95 and is only available until 21st December: https://printsformusic.com
6. Kristjana S Williams art cushions
I have several prints by London-based Icelandic artist Kristjana S Williams, including a print of Frida Kahlo she created for the V&A Kahlo exhibition, and the collage artist who celebrates all kinds of flora and fauna in her work, has branched out into interiors including a beautiful range of cushions with kaleidoscopic patterns featuring flowers and bejewelled beetles: https://www.kristjanaswilliams.com/collections/cushions
7. Kids Art Prints for Free School Meals
It’s a sad fact that more and more people have had no choice but to use foodbanks since the pandemic means thousands lost their jobs, and footballer Marcus Rashford MBE led a successful campaign for free school meals during the school holidays. This Christmas Margaret has launched a kids art prints charity sale featuring prints at £30 each by 13 artists; Owen Davey, Rob Hodgson, Yasmeen Ismail, Ben Javens, Louise Lockhart, Gayle Mansfield Designs, Sarina Mantle / Wildsuga, Max Made Me Do It, Margo McDaid, Grant Orchard, Leyla Reynolds, Laetitia Rouget and Donna Wilson. All proceeds from print sales will go directly and equally to Magic Breakfast ( https://www.magicbreakfast.com) and Fareshare UK ( https://fareshare.org.uk).
Available at: https://homeplace.co.uk/collections/charity-prints
