The Artists Colouring Book of ABC’s Exhibition, Auction & Book

A self initiated project conceived by Charlotte Colbert, Alix Janta-Polczynski and Lauren Estelle Jones who proposed the idea to The Kid’s Company Charity. The auction raised over £67,000 helping to provide for underprivileged children across the UK.
Further collaborations were conceived and facilitated by Jones and Janta-Polczynski from this project placing emerging designers with established artists to create new products with part of the proceeds going to the charity. This included sustainable fashion designers Draw In Light using Jake & Dinos Chapman’s artwork to create a unique limited edition of five dresses; and homeware designer Elli Popp using Gavin Turk and Yinka Shonibare’s artworks to create bone china mugs and side plates. Grayson Perry’s artwork was also used for a limited edition run of tote bags sold exclusively at The Art Car Boot Fair.

Humpty Dumpty Publishing and Alteria Art are proud to present The Artists’ Colouring Book of ABCs, a playful and artistic take on the traditional alphabet book.
Twenty-six established international artists have been invited to design a drawing each representing one letter of the alphabet. It is the first time that the reputable contemporary art world figures have all collaborated on one venture and each of them have taken the opportunity to interpret their given letters in spirited and unusual ways.
The book is an amusing and entertaining way for adults to interact with leading artists’ work on an intuitive level, and, for children, it is an exciting introduction to the alphabet through interplay with art. The book will appeal to art enthusiasts and collectors across the globe.
In addition to the paperback version of the book distributed throughout bookshops, gift shops and museums internationally, a limited edition of 250 box sets, each including a hardback copy along with a signed screen-print by Jake & Dinos Chapman will be available exclusively through Yoox.
Following a week long exhibition of the original drawings at Sotheby’s Auction House, the book was officially launched at the Serpentine Gallery in London where the original artworks (kindly framed by Oaksmith studios) were exhibited and auctioned to the profit of the Kids Company Charity (awarded Liberty and JUSTICE Human Rights Award in 2007). Winning bidders had the opportunity to have their artwork coloured in by the artist if they were willing to double their winning bid.
The high-profile event, in partnership with yoox.com, was hosted by Julia Peyton-Jones, Hans-Ulrich Obrist, Carla Sozzani, Lily Cole and Camila Batmanghelidjh. The auction was presented by Sotheby’s auctioneer Henry Wyndham.
A magical and surreal evening full of wondrous surprises and guest appearances was had by all including walking through a surreal warped version of the ABC song being sung by Chap’s choir to the guests upon arrival at the Serpentine Gallery.