Queen I

Founded in 2003, Rays of Sunshine brings joy to and brightens the lives of seriously ill young people and their families. Funded entirely through voluntary donations, the Rays of Sunshine team has made it their mission to offer a magical wish experience for those children with life-changing and life-threatening illnesses. By granting wishes, Rays of Sunshine creates magic in a child’s life and helps to build precious memories which serve as beacons of light long afterwards. This work reaches thousands of children each year, and Christie’s is proud to support Rays of Sunshine and its continued dedication to child welfare.

Bringing together more than 50 works of art from both leading artists in the UK and internationally, the auction will support Rays of Sunshine’s ongoing mission. The collection is defined by an incredible range of sculptures, paintings, and prints which represent significant moments of the past decades. Indeed, these works speak to the contemporary world in all its manifold beauty. Colour is at the fore in works by Hurvin Anderson, Damien Hirst, and Bridget Riley, among countless others, for whom it takes on poignant and effervescent resonances. Under the deft hands of Des Lawrence, Lucy Williams, and Caroline Walker, the everyday is rendered monumental. A similar intensity can be found in the organic geometries of Sheila Hicks and Edmund de Waal. Like these sculptures, the collection is powerfully emotive and forward-looking. Coming together as a dynamic ensemble, the sale presents a vision of art’s place in the world and its power to encourage change.