Artist teams up with anti-knife crime charity for auction backed by Idris Elba
In a unique collaboration, an award-winning artist teamed up with an anti-knife crime charity for a fine art event last week, supported by Idris Elba.
The Clarendon Fine Art Event at the King’s Road Gallery, in Chelsea, hosted a closed bid auction of Toby Mulligan’s ‘Icons of Our Time’ portrait collection on April 18, to raise vital funds for Steel Warriors.
Established in 2017 by founders Ben Wintour and Pia Fontes, Steel Warriors melts down knives taken off London’s streets and recycles the steel into outdoor street gyms at locations across London, including Ruskin Park, Denmark Hill.
Ben Wintour, founder of Steel Warriors, said: “A nation where young lives are built on steel, not destroyed by it, is within our collective reach. I’m hugely grateful to those who share in and are creatively inspired by our mission.”
The collection of works sold featured 10 original portraits of renowned celebrities, including Angela Bassett, Angelina Jolie, Idris Elba and Jamie Foxx.
Idris Elba, who recently lent his support to the campaign, said: “We must raise serious youth violence to the top of the political agenda, where it belongs.
“I applaud those, such as artist and father Toby Mulligan, for demonstrating how everyone, each in their own way, can step forward and help bring about essential social change.”
All proceeds from the event were directly donated to Steel Warriors to support its work to empower young people affected by crime, violence and social exclusion.
Mr Mulligan said: “There are so many different forces and impulses that drive and inspire me to create, but this project felt so pure – bringing together cultural iconography and portraiture for positive and social impact.
“Art should always be with purpose and intent, and at its most authentic, ideally play some small part in something much bigger.”
Pictured top: Idris Elba, by Toby Mulligan (Picture: Toby Mulligan)
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