The World’s Largest Painting Sold for $62 M. in 2021 to Benefit Children’s Charities, But They Have Yet to Receive Any Funds
In 2021, British artist Sacha Jafri sold his 17,000-square-foot painting The Journey of Humanity in Dubai for £45 million (about $62 million at the time), with proceeds intended for UNICEF, UNESCO, and the Global Gift Foundation. The London Times reported that more than five years later the charities still have not received the expected funds, amid an ongoing legal case filed in 2022 by Dubai Cares against buyer André Abdoune for failing to pay. UNICEF told the Times it has received no money, while UNESCO said it received $1.9 million from Dubai Cares in 2022 without clarity on whether it came directly from the auction proceeds. Abdoune also has not fulfilled a promise to build a Dubai museum to display the work, and Sotheby’s reportedly withdrew from staging the auction at Atlantis the Palm Jumeirah shortly before it occurred.
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This story was covered in Heritage Under Fire, Art Power Plays