Jony & Marc’s (RED) Auction 2013 @ Sotheby’s New York

Two of the world’s foremost design pioneers Sir Jonathan Ive, KBE (otherwise known as the Senior V.P of Design at Apple) and Marc Newson, CBE, spent over 18 months curating this diverse mix of 40+ objects from disciplines as diverse as space travel and lighting design to contemporary art and rare automobiles, all connected by their excellence, merit and innovation.

Jony and Marc teamed up to celebrate the very best of design products, so as to benefit Bono’s (Product) RED charity brand The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria

“When you think of Jony and Marc, you think of design that is both iconic and sublime,” says Bono … “Those two words can be applied to the unique collection of objects on the auction block this 28th of November at Sotheby’s New York. Each bang of that hammer will be raising critical dollars to fight Aids ….. by getting medication to mothers with HIV which means they will not pass the virus on to their newborns.”

“It’s been a fantastic honour to curate this collection of objects with Marc for the auction at Sotheby’s,” Ive said.

“Each piece represents the value of thoughtful design. What we create for each other is not only a comment on our culture, but of course, in many ways, defines it. (Red) is making a difference in the lives of millions of people, and we’re humbled to make this contribution to such an important and worthy cause.”

“It’s been a thrilling journey for Jony and me to curate this collection of pieces that celebrate extraordinary design that we love, that transcends all boundaries of time and place. These objects were each conceived to resolve a singularly focused challenge, yet have subsequently achieved a cultural significance that’s above and beyond their initial functionality. Each object and the process of creating it conveys a rich set of human values, so it seems fitting that they should be auctioned with a different sense of human value in mind, to raise as much as possible to help people’s lives today,” said Marc Newson.

“We’d like to thank our partners for their sincere generosity and for giving so gladly and willingly.”

The November 23 event follows the original (RED) auction held at Sotheby’s New York in February 2008, the most significant charity auction ever held, which raised over $40 million to fight AIDS in Africa.  Organized by Bono and Damien Hirst, the auction included works donated by Banksy, Anish Kapoor, Marc Quinn, Georg Baselitz and Howard Hodgkin, among others, and set records for 17 artists.

Oliver Barker, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe and the auctioneer for both the 2008 and upcoming (RED) auction, said, …. ” The (RED) sale of 2008 provided the benchmark for auctions of this nature and once again we will be presenting a unique collaboration; this time with the dream-team of Sir Jonathan Ive and Marc Newson.”

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire objects of singular design excellence and innovation, and simultaneously raise much needed funds for the fight against AIDS.

This year, the collection includes a cosmonaut suit worn on a Soviet space mission and an original Storm Trooper helmet from George Lucas’ Star Wars.

It’s rare to see Ive, Apple’s prized designer, focus his attention outside Cupertino’s secret labs

So leading the auction are two items designed in their entirety by Jony and Marc – a unique Leica Digital Rangefinder Camera, a feat of extraordinary engineering, and a unique aluminum desk produced by Neal Feay Studios.

The two also worked together to design an aluminum desk by Neal Feay Studios.

An Ive-designed red Mac Pro that’s expected to fetch between US$40,000 and US$60,000,

Knoll – bertoia bird chair

(RED) Auction Catalogue

A beautifully presented limited-edition auction Catalog designed by Richard Allan, with photos of the objects taken by renowned photographer and filmmaker Andrew Zuckerman, will be available.

Stephen Fry and Bono will contribute “introductory essays,” with commentary from Jony and Marc on the curation process.

catalogue shots are via http://9to5mac.com

Lot 26

Knoll – Harry Bertoia and Richard Schultz
4 x “BIRD” CHAIRS AND 1 x “PETAL” COFFEE TABLE
Selected and customised by Jony Ive & Marc Newson for the (RED) Auction 2013.

The “Petal” table top and the steel legs and back of the “Bird” chair frames are in a unique red finish.
The “Bird” chairs are finished in white leather. Edition 01/01.
“Bird” chairs: painted welded steel, Spinneybeck Sabrina leather and Hourglass by Knoll Textiles.
“Petal” coffee table: Rosso Monzo Silestone, a natural quartz surface, stainless steel and aluminium.

Estimate $ USD 20,000 — 30,000

Lot 36

Tom Dixon
PROTOTYPE “PUNCH XL”
Created especially for the (RED) Auction 2013. Edition 01/01.
Aluminium
Height: 79 1/4 inches (200 cm)
Produced by Trumpf Inc., USA in collaboration with Kammetal USA

Estimate $ USD 20,000 — 30,000

(RED) Auction catalogue – back cover

Previews around the World

Highlights from Sotheby’s (Red) auction were sent in advance around the world, to help raise awareness about the auction

October 3 to 7, 2013 at Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong.

Hong Kong exhibition

October 12 to 20 at Sotheby’s, 34 New Bond Street, London W1.

Early November, 2013 Bergdorf Goodman Department Store, Fifth Ave. New York

Bergdorf Goodman window displays

Red at Bergdorf Goodman dept store – photos by Israel Wilson ( @isrealdeep )

November 18 to 22, the full collection will go on public display at Sotheby’s, 1334 York Avenue, New York 10021.

The auction takes place at Sotheby’s New York on Saturday November 23.

About (RED)

(RED) was founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver to engage businesses and consumers to help fight AIDS in Africa.

Charity (RED) has found a way to use capitalist consumerism for good — partnering brands pledge to donate up to 50 per cent of its (Red)-branded products to AIDS research

(RED) partners with the world’s most iconic brands, such as Apple, Starbucks and Converse, who contribute up to 50% of profits from the sale of (RED)-branded products and services to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

To date (RED) has raised over $195 million with 100% of that money going to AIDS programs that have helped impact 14 million lives.

Last month the official (Product) RED Twitter account revealed that Apple’s contributions to the charity had reached $65 million, making it the largest contributor to the charity out of all participating companies.

Apple currently sells red versions of the iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPad Smart Cover, and iPhone 4S bumper under the (RED) product branding and donates a portion of profits to the charity

Deborah Dugan, CEO of (RED)

Having just returned from a learning trip to Ghana, I can’t overstate the life-changing impact those Global Fund grants can have.

Since 2006, (RED)’s partners and events have generated $215 million for the fight, and more than $54 million of that money has been used to fund HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana.

During trips to Ghana, including one last week, I have seen the impact of that support first hand, and the figures speak for themselves.

Between 2009 and 2011, the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Ghana has dropped from 33% to 25%, which means the number babies born with HIV reduced from 3,900 t0 2,700.

Today, three quarters of pregnant women living with HIV in Ghana receive anti-retroviral medicine, and that medicine can prevent a mother passing HIV to her unborn child in more than 95% of cases.

Progress of the kind we’re seeing in Ghana shows the world that a generation born without HIV/AIDS really is a possibility.

But it’s only a possibility if we get more people to join the fight. (RED) could not be prouder or more thankful to Jony, Marc and every one of the incredible auction donors for doing just that – boldly stepping up, and using the power of incredible design and innovation to benefit the Global Fund’s work and positively change the lives of so many mothers and their babies.”