Picture smuggled into exhibition auctioned off
On Thursday, the Cologne auction house Van Ham auctioned off a painting that had been smuggled into an exhibition at the Bundeskunsthalle for a good cause. The auction house announced that several bidders had bid for the painting "Georgia" online and by telephone. A collector from Bergisch Gladbach won the auction with a bid of 2800 euros. As the auction house also donated the buyer's premium, the Cologne-based association ArtAsyl received a donation totaling 3700 euros.
The Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn only noticed that there was one painting too many when it was dismantling its "Who we are" exhibition in October. Facebook, Instagram and X were used to find out who was behind the work. Then the artist Danai Emmanouilidis came forward and revealed herself as the author. She told WDR: "I always wanted to smuggle a picture into an exhibition." She had managed it with a "giant hoodie".
The painting "Georgia" was originally intended to be part of the "Who we are" exhibition at the Bundeskunsthalle, but it was smuggled into the auction instead. Following the successful auction, ArtAsyl will utilize the funds for various exhibitions and art-related events.
Source: www.dpa.com
