Clarendon Fine Art is thrilled to announce an inspiring collaboration between award-winning artist, Toby Mulligan and Steel Warriors, an anti-knife crime charity that transforms knives taken off London’s streets into outdoor calisthenics gyms.
This partnership, supported by actor, singer, and activist Idris Elba, aims to raise crucial funds for Steel Warriors through a closed bid auction of Mulligan’s “Icons of Our Time” portrait collection.
The “Icons of Our Time” collection features ten original portraits of renowned celebrities, including Angela Bassett, Angelina Jolie, Idris Elba, Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart, Priyanka Chopra, Timothée Chalamet, Tom Hiddleston, and Zendaya. These striking works of art will be auctioned off at a special event on Thursday, April 18th at Clarendon Fine Art’s Kings Road gallery, with all proceeds directly supporting Steel Warriors’ mission to empower young people affected by crime, violence, and social exclusion.
In addition to the charity portrait collection, Toby Mulligan’s new collection of original works will also be on display at the event. A percentage of sales from the new collection on the night will be donated to Steel Warriors
Artist Toby Mulligan, whose distinctive contemporary originals have won him critical and public acclaim, comments:
“I loved the idea of a cause-driven portrait collection. There are so many different forces and impulses that drive and inspire me to create, but this project felt so pure – bringing together cultural iconography and portraiture for positive and social impact.
“Art should always be with purpose and intent, and at its most authentic, ideally play some small part in something much bigger.”
Steel Warriors, established in 2017 by founders Ben Wintour and Pia Fontes, is driven by a desire to challenge conventional approaches to knife crime. The charity melts down knives taken off London’s streets and recycles the steel into outdoor street gyms, using street workout to transform the lives of young people and foster stronger, closer, and more loving communities.
Ben Wintour, Founder of Steel Warriors, expressed his gratitude, commenting:
“A nation where young lives are built on steel, not destroyed by it, is within our collective reach. I’m hugely grateful to those who share in and are creatively inspired by our mission.”
Idris Elba, who has generously lent his support to the campaign, stated:
“This campaign is more than just a call for change. It’s also a salute to many incredible organizations and heroes working to tackle the root causes of crime. Steel Warriors is one of those organizations. We must raise serious youth violence to the top of the political agenda, where it belongs. I applaud those, such as artist and father Toby Mulligan, for demonstrating how everyone, each in their own way, can step forward and help bring about essential social change.”
The closed bid auction event will be held on Thursday, April 18th, 2024, at the Clarendon Fine Art gallery located at 131-133 Kings Road, SW3 4PW. Art enthusiasts and collectors will have the opportunity to view the incredible works throughout the day, starting from 10 am, with the event culminating in an elegant drink’s reception commencing at 7 pm, where attendees can mingle with like-minded individuals and discuss the powerful impact of this collaboration. The auction will go live at 10am on Wednesday, April 17th, and bids can be placed in person at the gallery until April 19th, giving everyone a chance to own a piece of this remarkable collection while supporting the vital work of Steel Warriors.
For more information and to RSVP to the event:
Please visit: https://clarendonfineart.com/collections/come-and-meet-toby-mulligan
Or contact: [email protected]
About Clarendon Fine Art:
Over the last 20 years, Clarendon Fine Art has built a strong reputation for making art accessible to all. The Clarendon team believes in the joy of collecting and loves nothing more than sharing that passion with others. With over 90 stunning galleries across the UK, on ocean liners and as far afield as Connecticut, USA, Clarendon offers an exclusive experience in art acquisition, whether to a seasoned collector or to someone beginning their journey into the art world.
Every day we ignite the passion.
About Steel Warriors:
STEEL WARRIORS melts down knives taken off London’s streets and recycles the steel into outdoor calisthenics gyms. Steel Warriors is an anti-knife crime charity that melt down knives taken off the streets and recycles the steel into outdoor street gyms. We use street workout to transform the lives of young people affected by crime, violence and social exclusion, giving them the skills and confidence they need to create positive futures. Our mission is to build a UK-wide network of gyms, a street workout movement, that not only empowers young people to realise their passions and pursue their goals, but also fosters stronger, closer and more loving communities. Steel Warriors was established in 2017 by founders Ben Wintour and Pia Fontes who then, as now, remain driven by a desire to challenge conventional approaches to knife crime. A nation where young lives are built on steel, not destroyed by it, is within our collective reach.
