Auroville’s fund-raiser art auction for acquiring land to fulfil the founding vision for a universal township has been scheduled on Saturday at the Unity Pavilion.
Over 300 paintings created by 70 artists from Auroville, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, from other parts of India and even abroad will go under the hammer at the Art For Land auction which commences at 3 p.m.
Some works from the past have been seen and touched by Auroville founder Mirra Alfassa, Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual associate and The Mother to her followers. A collection of rare photographs of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo are on sale with proceeds going as donations for the land.
The fund-raiser auction comes even as the City of Dawn established by her in 1968 as a place upon earth “that no nation could claim as its sole property, a place where all human beings of goodwill, sincere in their aspiration, could live freely as citizens of the world….” is due to celebrate its golden jubilee next year.
The Mother’s vision was that the galaxy-shaped universal township, when complete, would house a global community with the Matrimandir as its soul.
According to estimates, Auroville still needs to secure about 40% of the land under the Master Plan 2025 projection of 3,930 acres for the full realisation of its goals. At present, Auroville is home to a global community of 2,500 residents from 62 countries.
According to organisers, the “Art for Land” exhibition-cum-auction is part of the growing efforts to secure needed funds and raise awareness for Auroville’s still-missing land.
The art auction marks the culmination of land solidarity actions where the Unity Pavilion, Visitors Centre, the Auroville Marathon, Auroville commercial units, and restaurants has all joined hands for the land.
The artworks are now on exhibit at the Unity Pavilion and via the online gallery of the dedicated Art For Land website.
The winning land donation bids will be decided on auction day.
Apart from being a forum for diversity of expression, the auction is a showcase for the creativity of Auroville’s artists and those of artist friends, united to benefit Auroville’s land, Aurovillians said.
The Art for Land initiative is non-commercial and all proceeds are land donations.
The works have been donated by the artists and are distributed through a donation auction whereby donors submit donation-offers for specific works of art, Auroville said. All proceeds are land donations to be used by the Auroville’s Land Board for the unified and harmonious base that the City of Dawn needs.
A specific option, “Land Purchase - City Area & Master Plan Priority Plots - Acres for Auroville” has been introduced for online transactions through the ‘Auroville Donation Gateway’ on www.auroville.com . Donations in foreign currency will have to be sorted out at the Financial Service at Town Hall with donors required to furnish passport and other documents.
