Coldplay sells art for kids’ charity

 
p42 Chris Martin and Camila Batmanghelidjh in front of the Mylo Xyloto Album artworkÖ. Pics: Alex Lentati
Alex Lentati
Louise Jury30 November 2012

Coldplay star Chris Martin is appealing to the public to support Kids Company as the band prepares to sell original artwork from their last album to help it.

The sale of posters, prints and original paintings could prove a vital lifeline for the charity which is helping soaring numbers of vulnerable children as the economic crisis bites.

Martin hailed the work of its founder, Camila Batmanghelidjh as inspiring and said there was something for all fans in the fundraising drive. “There’s a whole range of stuff and I think the prices range from £1 to £1 million.”

All can be seen in an exhibition in Camden this weekend where the centrepiece is the giant 7 metre by 2.5 metre graffiti wall created by the band-mates that became the artwork for the Mylo Xyloto album released last year.

“I don’t want to blow our own trumpet but I loved the artwork for the last campaign. We were all involved and in that sense it was home-made,” the frontman said. “But I would rather it was sold to help Kids Company than have it sit in storage.”

All proceeds will go to the charity which the band funded privately for years before going public with their support last year.

They were introduced to its work by the Prince’s Trust having initially planned their own organisation. Martin said they saw its importance immediately. “Why start your own thing when there’s this incredibly inspiring thing already in place?”

Last year the band played a benefit concert which will now be a biennial event so the exhibition was its offering for 2012. It also gives a portion of all its earnings to the cause. “It’s nice to do something that is publicly visual to keep awareness up,” Martin said.

Camila Batmanghelidjh said the support was even more crucial as referrals had soared four-fold and many children were arriving hungry.

“I never thought that in one of the richest countries in the would I would have children standing there and asking for food. A third arrive who don’t even have a bed to sleep in. Demand has escalated - and it has become more difficult to fund-raise which is why the support of people like Coldplay is hugely meaningful. It’s unbelievably tough at the moment.”

The exhibition opens at the Proud Galleries in the Horse Hospital Stables Market and runs until Sunday, admission free. www.proud.co.uk

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