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Hirst's sale to help charity
Louise Jury, Evening Standard21 Jun 2007
A charity expects to make up to £500,000 tonight thanks to the likes of Damien Hirst, Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin.
Turner Prize winner Keith Tyson persuaded fellow artists to donate major works for an auction at Sotheby's in aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Hirst created a large piece combining one of his spin paintings with his butterfly works, which is expected to fetch up to £350,000.
He said: "I get so many charity requests that I decided I would stick to just a couple. But if other artists ask me I'll always do it for them. Keith has obviously got his own charities and he asked me to do something. The money is going to kids and that's the only thing that matters. Maybe some of them will grow up to be artists."
Hirst, who has supported the Scope and the Kids Company charities and is organising an art auction to raise funds for Bono's Red campaign to help fight Aids in Africa, said supporting good causes was his way of giving something to society.
"I'm always amazed I ended up getting paid to do a job I enjoy," he said.
