In support of Water for Life, a joint AL MADAD/UNICEF project
Albion Gallery, 18-20 November 2008

In an extraordinary gesture, a group of leading contemporary artists will join forces to show their solidarity with children in the world’s poorest country, Niger. Art for Water will be a rallying force for artists with a concern for Africa. They include David Adjaye, Richard Long Isaac Julien and William Kentridge, who will each donate a piece of work to be auctioned in support of a joint Al Madad/UNICEF project, Water for Life.

The Al Madad Foundation has invited eight high-profile international artists to lead the way in the Art for Water contemporary art auction to be held on 20.11.2008 as the highlight of the Water for Life fundraising event. Hailing from Tanzania, Egypt, Algeria, Iran, Switzerland and Britain, there is a story behind each of these world renowned artists’ deep commitment to Africa ranging from family heritage to an affinity with a continent that has inspired their work.

The outstanding collection of donated works present global perspectives in an array of media ranging from sculpture, drawing and painting to textile and photography. Richard Long’s brand new sculptural work Driftwood, 2008, and David Adjaye’s utopian work Europolis, 2008, will be presented alongside Isaac Julien’s large-scale photographic triptych: Before Paradise (Man with Ball), 2002, which is expected to sell for over £20,000. The extraordinary photographic portraits of the British Mafia from Faisal Abdu’Allah, the anatomical bronze sculpture from Swiss artist Not Vital, and the poignant textile piece from Egyptian artist Susan Hefuna, reflect the variety and calibre of those committed to the cause.

The generosity of this remarkable group of artists will have a dramatic impact on raising funds for Water for Life, a water and sanitation initiative aimed at tackling the effects of drought in Niger. With the highest child mortality rate in the world, and levels of malnutrition rated as ‘severe’ and ‘critical’ by UNICEF, the situation in Niger is comparable to conflict zones and the worst emergencies in the world. 100% of the purchase price of these donated works of art will go directly to Al Madad’s work in Niger, helping to bring clean water to over 12,000 people in the country over the next three years.

The Al Madad Foundation is an international London-based charity devoted to the alleviation of childhood poverty and deprivation. The official charity to the Middle East’s largest art fair – Art Dubai – Al Madad uses artistic expression and intercultural dialogue to draw attention to and to try and address some of the worst cases of poverty and exclusion around the world.

To find out more, visit www.artforwater.org