A unique fundraising event for the 2015 Ballarat International Foto Biennale will be staged at Eleven40 Gallery in Melbourne.
Following the success of its ‘Collection 2013’ fundraising event for the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, the Eleven40 Gallery in Melbourne is running this event again to support the 2015 BIFB. The organisers say the ‘Collection 2014’ will sell over 125 anonymous prints by some of the best-known and collectible photographers from Australia and overseas.
Every two years the BIFB shows the best of the world's photographic art in heritage venues in Ballarat, Victoria, during a month-long photographic event, and the ‘Collection’ event raises funds to support it. Eleven40 Gallery is asking photography enthusiasts to buy a red dot for its BIFB ‘Collection 2014’ for $125 each.
The gallery organisers say there’s a chance to buy a 'one off' archival print for a price perhaps well under the value for which an artist might normally sell his or her works. But buyers won’t know whose work they’ve bought until it is taken off the wall and looked at for the provenance on the back. A preview exhibition will run from Thursday, August 28 until Saturday, August 30.
On Sunday, August 31 the program will be:
12 noon: exhibition viewing
1pm: Red Dot sales close/Lucky Dip 'print selection order' commences
1.30pm: Auction of first print selection to the highest bidder
1.40pm: Print selection begins
3pm: Book auction to the highest bidder
The attendees buy a red dot and pick a number out of a hat. That number is hidden, but when it is revealed it is their position in the selection order. When their name is called during the proceedings they then place their red dot, which has their name on it, under the print they want. If that print already has a red dot underneath it, it’s taken and they must choose another one.
As there will only be 125 prints, there are only 125 red dots being sold. Print selections one, two, and three are up for auction, whilst numbers four through to 125 are picked randomly from the hat.
All the images in The BIFB Collection 2014 will also be made available online from 10am Thursday, August 28. Interested buyers can review the images online and email the gallery any selections in order of preference. Gallery staff will then conduct each buyer’s lucky dip on their behalf, and when their turn to select prints comes up the staff will allocate them the first available print from their list. Email submissions close at 5pm Friday, August 29. Buyers can email their selections to info@eleven40.com.au
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At around 3pm at the gala event Eleven40 staff will also auction the first edition of the 'The BIFB Collection Book 2014’, donated by BLURB. The book will contain all the entries and all the photographers’ names. This first-edition hard-cover book will be a collector’s item for the highest bidder. Red dots can be bought online at http://www.trybooking.com/92603
The event, sponsored by BLURB, Kayell Australia, and Epson, will be at Eleven40 Gallery, 1140 Malvern Rd, Malvern, Victoria on Sunday August 31 from 12pm to 4pm. The Eleven40 Gallery is open on Thursday and Friday from 10am to 5pm and on Saturday from 11am to 4pm.
Untitled, by John Gollings. This image from one of Australia’s prominent architectural photographers sold at the last Eleven40 fundraiser for the Ballarat International Foto Biennale.
Thunderhead, by Chris Budgeon. One of last year’s images for the Collection 2013 fundraising event.
For more information check out www.eleven40.com.au