The proceeds will go to charities that George Michael donated to during his life.
The art collection of George Michael has been sold off at a charity auction and raised over £10 million for charities that the singer supported during his life.
The main auction, which was held on 14 March at Christie’s, saw 61 pieces of art sold for £9,264,000 the auction house reported. Meanwhile, a further 100 pieces of art were sold online from 8-15 March, and their total sales were £2,045,375.
The highest sale of the evening was Damien Hirst’s 2006 piece, The Incomplete Truth, which features a dove encased in formaldehyde. This was sold for £911,250.
The British singer-songwriter – who died aged 53 on Christmas Day in 2016 – amassed an impressive collection of artists, which particularly focussed on the Young British Art movement in the 1990s and 2000s.
George developed friendships with many of the artists whose work he collected, which includes pieces by Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas, Michael Craig-Martin, and Marc Quin.
A spokesperson for George Michael’s trustees told the Evening Standard they were “delighted” with the amount of money raised, adding: “Philanthropic work was hugely important for George and it was his wish that this work would continue.”
Jussi Pylkkänen, Christie’s global president and the auctioneer for the event, said: “To realise such a significant sum is what we’ve all been working towards.
“We hope the charities who will ultimately benefit will be pleased with the outcome.”
In a statement, Christie’s paid tribute to the singer, saying: “The collection spoke volumes about George Michael, a man who touched millions with his music, his honesty, his bravery and his kindness.
“This was partly due to the autobiographical nature of so many of the works within it, but also because it revealed the extent to which he had supported his fellow British artists.”
Related: This is how much George Michael secretly donated to an AIDS charity during his lifetime
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