The popular Benaki Museum kicked off its online art auction yesterday, with a number of priceless artworks up for grabs.
The auction runs until December 7 and includes over 240 works of art by 138 different artists, with prices starting at just 50 euros.
The works of art have been donated not only by artists who have previously exhibited their work at the museum or have collaborated with the Benaki Shop, but by the museum’s friends and supporters as well.
READ MORE: Greece’s Benaki Museum eyes expansion to Australia.
Local Greek media say the auction has been launched to raise funds for the Benaki Museum, as it is facing significant funding shortfalls in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Back in October, CEO of the Benaki Museum, Haris Siampanis, told Ekathimerini that the museum had “lost significant revenues.”
“Like many other organisations, we lost significant revenues not just from exhibition tickets, but from museum shops, educational programs, events, rent and, obviously, from corporate and private donations [during the economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic].”
At the time, Siampanis also indicated that the Benaki was seeking to establish a permanent presence in Australia. This news was later confirmed after it emerged that the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne would house the Benaki.
This meant Melbourne would become the first city to house a permanent Benaki Museum outside of Greece.
You can bid for artworks from the Benaki Museum here.
READ MORE: New Benaki Museum in Melbourne set to be first of its kind outside of Greece.
