NEW YORK – Christie’s is pleased to announce Creating Connections – Digital Art for Connectivity, open for bidding January 24 - 31, 2024 on Christie’s 3.0, a fully on-chain platform. Curated by Nina Roehrs, this digital art auction will feature 24 notable artists including Rhea Myers, 0xDEAFBEEF, Kevin Abosch, Jennifer and Kevin McCoy, Niceaunties, Sarah Meyohas, Luis Ponce, Daniel Calderon Arenas (DCA) and Entangled Others (Sofia Crespo and Felicean McCormick) among others. Proceeds of the auction will benefit Giga, a UNICEF and International Telecom Union (ITU) initiative to connect every school and student to the Internet and information. 

Bertold Mueller, Delegate of UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein and Christie's Managing Director, EMEA, states, “On January 11, it was a pleasure to auction three artworks by Cole Sternberg at the Crypto Finance Conference in St Moritz and raise nearly $120,000 for Giga, a fantastic initiative in support of connectivity, with the aim of granting internet access to all schools worldwide. Building on the momentum of this initial sale, Christie’s Digital Art team now presents a fully on-chain sale on Christie’s 3.0 that will contribute additional funding to this worthy cause. Comprised of 24 fantastic artists, this sale will offer collectors a wonderful opportunity to acquire best-in-class digital artwork while simultaneously supporting UNICEF in their inspired mission.”

Sebastian Sanchez, Manager, Digital Art Sales, Christie’s, remarks, “We are thrilled to partner with UNICEF to host this auction in support of Giga. We are particularly thankful for the fantastic group of artists who have generously donated works for this important cause. Working in a vast array of innovative new technologies--ranging from A.I. video to custom hardware for ASCII art-- we are certain that this sale will speak to not only our existing clients, but collectors across the globe who are seeking out the very best in digital artwork.”

Curator Nina Roehrs comments, “In today's digital creative art world, which has reached new forms of visibility and significance with the establishment of the Internet and Blockchain technology, the basic idea of Giga finds great resonance. After all, neither art production nor distribution at today's level would be possible without access to the digital world, which many artists can simply take for granted.”

Entangled Others, Artist Duo Sofia Crespo and Felicean McCormick, remark, "It is our experience, and belief, that access to the connectivity that underpins the digital world many take for granted is important, not only in enabling self-empowerment, but also in that it can provide valuable tools and information that can re-contextualise and give us a better understanding of our local actions."

About UNICEF

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has over 75 years of experience in development cooperation and emergency aid. UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. Its core missions include programs focusing on health, nutrition, education, clean water, hygiene, and child welfare. UNICEF is financed entirely by voluntary contributions and is represented in Switzerland and Liechtenstein through the Committee for UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.

www.unicef.ch

About Giga

Giga is a global initiative by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to connect every school to the Internet and every young person to information, opportunity, and choice. Against the backdrop of rapidly evolving digital technologies, it is unimaginable that one-third of humanity – or 2.6 billion people – still remain offline. Among them are children who are at risk of falling behind, simply because they don’t have access to the Internet and the learning opportunities that come along with it. Giga is bridging this gap by creating open-source technologies and procurement solutions that help governments connect schools to the Internet. Powered by the latest technologies in artificial intelligence, mapping, and blockchain technology, Giga has provided connectivity support to more than 84,000 schools in 30 countries. Since its inception in 2019, Giga and its partners have connected nearly 6,000 schools and 2.4 million students to the Internet.

www.giga.global