Artist Set To Sell First Painting for $1 Million On eBay
Date: 8 December 2008
It what will set a precedent for the highest amount paid for an emerging artists’ first painting, with the successful auction of his work of art on eBay, Sydney based abstract artist Greg Gillespie hopes to raise more than just a few eyebrows around the globe.
What started out as one painting in his inaugural series of ten works, and for this artist a totally new genre, the former commercial artist is using as an opportunity to create a world’s first, a one million dollar plus price tag of an unknown artists’ first abstract painting.
The painting is currently listed on eBay with a starting bid of $1,000,000 AUD and Greg is prepared to wait until someone is found who is willing to pay his high premium. Some would say he is dreaming and that art only appreciates with time and across the expanse of an artists’ career and breadth of work. This one artist begs to differ.
“This painting is a total once in a lifetime painting and I believe it is worth every cent. Whether I created this painting after a full career of abstract works or whether it was one of my first, should not determine the value of the piece”, said Gillespie.
He is calling this the “Younique Project”, as to the best of his knowledge nothing like this has been attempted before. There is a lot of hidden information regarding the painting, titled “balancing act” that the artist feels best withheld. The size of the painting is not displayed in the auction description, to retain focus on the contained imagery.
“I don’t want to reveal the size of this work, either large or small to the general public, as I don’t think that size should matter. The work has been created by the abstract expressionist method of ‘automatism’ and it’s entire value lies within what it is saying to me, to everyone, about restoring balance to a world in turmoil”, he said.
Central to the aim of the Younique Project is the fact that the artist is giving all the proceeds to charity and keeping just one dollar for himself. Gillespie and his family have been active sponsors of children in poverty through the Compassion International organization for over 20 years.
“I may be successful in finding a buyer or not, but if just one child is released from poverty by my efforts then the project will be a success that is well worth a million dollars, as no amount of money can bring a life back once it is lost”, he said.
The artist currently has paintings hanging in two Sydney galleries, Maunsell Wickes at Barry Stern in Paddington and Newport Artworks on Sydney’s northern beaches and hopes that the auction is successful before he sells any gallery works, to set a world precedent.
Gillespie is prepared to keep re-listing the eBay auction until a buyer is found.
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More information can be found on www.gtgart.com or by email greg@gtgart.com.au or mob: 612 414 619 891
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=130274507563