One for the Community
1 March 2008, 07:58
My Bank held an Art Exhibition and Auction this week, which I got coaxed into participating by the organiser – she wanted me to donate a framed photo or two for the Auction. She had some different “artistes” lined up – photographers (like me), painters, collagists (???), jewellers and sculptors.
At the time I thought “between working 4 days a week, looking after a two-year old and feebly trying to sustain a marital relationship, I really don’t have the time”... Happily the organiser offered to arrange the printing and framing (and hell, it was for a good cause) so I sent her through two of the pics – a well-worn duo that I have printed and uploaded to death. Just to shit those who have seen these photos a thousand times, here they are again…
“Hanami”
“Hutongs Man”
Come day of the Auction I was really looking forward to the Champagne Fountain on offer (lush that I am!), hobnobbing with senior execs (‘cos I’m that kind of relentless schmoozer) and basically just having a night off from the regular getting-Scout-to-bed routine. At the back of my head, though, was “what if nobody bids on my photos?”
Of course, at 4am on the day, my guts put in a bid for violent response to Dodgy Pasta (on top of the bronchitis I’ve already had for nearly 4 weeks) and I lay doubled over on the couch for 18 hours – no Auction for me.
A shame, as it turns out one of my photos was hotly contested! Here I was, thinking I’d throw $20 into the bidding war on my own photo (can anyone spell narcissist?) and I would have been seriously outbid. One of the photos went for $300, the other for $500.
I have to admit I don’t think either photo was worth $500 but I forget I work for a Bank and in spite of the global economy spiralling down into a possible recession (don’t start me) people in this place earn a shit load of money… All in all, the Auction yielded nearly $7,000 for our Staff Foundation (funds used for a variety of charities/organisations we have relationships with).
Can you guess which photo went for the $500? I will accept all offers of humouring.
[Bwahahahahhaha ALL WRONG – it was the old dude in the hutong. Seems Bank people are all serious and povo after all!)
Permanent Link | - The Hanami pic was the big draw? I imagine the pretty kimono girl would appeal more to bankers than shades of poverty in the Hutongs…
I’m always surprised by the photos people like. Of all my 1400 odd pics on Flickr (many from exotic or scenic locales), the most popular one is a slightly unfocused, poorly white balanced shot of some candy apples.
— Andrea Mar 1, 08:37 AM # - I’m going Kimono, if only for the fabulous juxtaposition of the traditional dress and the keitai. Love it.
— Token Husband Mar 2, 09:17 PM # - Whats with the dismissive little explosive side comment about feebly trying to sustain a marital relationship? I’m onto you! I don’t miss a thing! Where does the hard-working modern day equal rights man get a say in all of this? Right, I’ve had it! Get off the computer, make my dinner and iron my shirt woman!(and I’ll be after a root later tonight as well, maybe even two, in between you getting up for the baby! :)
— nick Mar 4, 03:29 PM # - hey I just read the end of your blog and saw how much you sold them for! Well all I can say is if my boss Peter Lik can take a snap of a landscape, photshop it up and then blow it up to 2 metres and sell it for $10,000, then someone who actually has a genuine eye & photographic talent for urban settings can damn well sell her photos for just the same! Nice work, you should have signed them and made a limited edition print for even more! (I still need my shirt ironed later tonight though!)
— nick Mar 8, 12:23 AM #
