A sculpture of a brain by British artist Tracey Emin has sold for £7,500 at an auction in aid of Parkinson’s UK. The work was among a selection of sculptures sold at Christie’s auction house as part of the Me, My Brain And I series to raise money for the Parkinson’s research and support charity.
The 59-year-old artist’s sculpture, titled You **** My Brains Out Every Time, featured black and white acrylic paint on a cast resin brain. The brain sculpture design, from which each of the sculptures were created, was initially conceived by theatrical effects artist Schoony.
The artist, whose background is rooted in special effects and prosthetics, created the form of the life-sized fabricated brains for participating artists to use as a blank canvas after they were asked to consider what their brain means to them and create a new work inspired by their thoughts. Other works sold during the auction on Wednesday evening included Alex Echo’s Tremor, which fetched £2,000 and featured enamel paint in an array of bright colours on moulded resin with a built-in motor.
Self-taught artist Echo said: "I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in early 2020 and I hope my brain sculpture, Tremor, will create a visual representation of what it’s like to live with Parkinson’s. It’s been difficult, but when I’m doing art, time disappears.
"Parkinson’s disappears. Worries disappear. Art saves my life every day and has for 42 years."
Also in the sale was Brain Freeze, a sculpture by multimedia artist D*Face – real name Dean Stockton – which shows a brain melting off an ice-lolly stick and She Sells Sea Shells On The Sea Shore by Gavin Turk. British artist Turk, 55, often uses his work to explore issues of authorship, authenticity and identity and his sculpture, which raised £3,500, featured a compressed brain stuck on top of a black metal rod.
All the money raised from the auction will go towards Parkinson’s UK’s work on new treatments and finding a cure for the disease. The collection of brain sculptures was first exhibited at The Other Art Fair in London in October 2021 and later put on display at Koppel X in Piccadilly Circus.
Other artists featured in the project included Abigail Fallis, Dion Kitson, LUAP, Conrad Shawcross, David Bailey, Hayden Kays, Rob and Nick Carter, Nick Veasey and Geoff Uglow. Speaking about the fundraising project, Parkinson’s UK director of fundraising and engagement Paul Jackson-Clark said: "Me, My Brain And I invites us all to consider our own brain, to visualise it as the source of all the things that make us 'us'.
"Our brains curate our lives, on the one hand acting as unique libraries, holding memories, experiences and skills, while on the other powering supercomputer-powered curiosity, creativity and innovation. We’re delighted to be partnering with The Auction Collective and Christie’s with what we all believe is a beautiful, thought-provoking, and moving creative experience. We’re indebted to the incredibly generous artists who are making this possible with a single shared aim, to raise funds for Parkinson’s research and to find a cure."
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