The MTV Staying Alive Foundation announced that the inaugural MTV RE:DEFINE art exhibition and auction, held at the Goss-Michael Foundation in Dallas, has raised more than $770,000 for the charity, which funds projects aimed at fighting the stigma, spread and threat of the HIV and AIDS.
Simon de Pury, Chairman of Phillips de Pury & Company auctioneers, flew in especially to host the auction, encouraging “very handsome” crowd of 300 VIP collectors to “energetic and relentless” bidding for the 30 original works on display by Shepard Fairey, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Gavin Turk, Harland Miller, Gérard Rancinan, Adam Ball and Ben Eine. A rare combined spin/butterfly painting by Damien Hirst featuring cubic zirconia, sold for $240,000 to an unnamed phone bidder from Los Angeles.
