“Stepping Up for Art” at the Gagosian Gallery

“Stepping Up for Art” at the Gagosian Gallery

CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA and GAGOSIAN GALLERY Present Stepping Up For ArtOn May 1, 2014, at the Gagosian Gallery in Madison Avenue in New York, Studio in a School presented “Stepping Up for Art” installation.

Charlotte Olympia, Harley Viera Newton, Derek Blasberg
Charlotte Olympia, Harley Viera Newton, Derek Blasberg

A collaboration with luxury shoe and accessories brand Charlotte Olympia and Gagosian Gallery, “Stepping Up for Art” is a fashion and art project to benefit Studio in a School, a non-profit organization that provides visual arts education to underfunded New York City public schools.

Twenty renowned artists including Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, Cindy Sherman, George Condo, Laurie Simmons, Christo, Tom Sachs, Marilyn Minter, Hugo Guinness, Elliott Puckette, David Levinthal, Maya Lin, Philip Taaffe, Francesco Clemente, Sarah Sze, Maira Kalman, Martin Mull, Charline von Heyl and Kenny Scharf have created unique works of art, using a pair of signature Charlotte Olympia canvas Dolly platforms.

All the artwork were on view at Gagosian Gallery, 980 Madison Avenue on May 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. Children from five schools partnering with Studio in a School including PS 196 Bronx, PS 45 Queens, PS 16 Staten Island, PS 139 Brooklyn and PS 75 Manhattan have also designed extraordinary artworks on Dolly shoes donated by Charlotte Olympia that will also be on view.

Commenting on the project, Charlotte Olympia Dellal said, “I was excited when India approached me to collaborate on such an inspiring project. It has become bigger than we could have ever imagined and I am delighted that it is benefitting such a great cause.”

“It is incredible to see how twenty of today’s most inspiring artists, Gagosian Gallery, and Charlotte Olympia collaborate on Stepping up for Art. Every artist and student has made a breathtaking and awe-inspiring work of art to benefit a wonderful cause that we all love, Studio in a School,” added India Wolf who was the prime mover for the installation.

“Shoes were never like this!” exclaimed Larry Gagosian of the Gagosian Gallery. “It’s great to see the artists of today stepping up to support the artists of tomorrow at Studio in a School.”

Thomas Cahill, President & CEO of Studio in a School said, ‘Studio in a School truly thanks India for creating Stepping Up for Art. She is inspirational; even more so, since her peers, NYC high school students, will be some of the beneficiaries of the project she developed on her own.”

To make the project into a reality, Charlotte Olympia has donated shoes so that classes participating in Studio programs, one in each borough, could share in and enjoy the creative process that the professional artists experienced.

Champagne for the Stepping Up For Art opening reception was graciously provided by Veuve Clicquot.

Notable attendees to the event were: Charlotte Olympia Dellal, David Levinthal, Elliott Puckette, George Condo, Hugo Guinness, Maira Kalman, Maya Lin, Tom Sachs, Bonnie Takhar, Harley Viera-Newton, Zani Guggleman, Natalie Joos, Jennifer Creel, Lizzie Tisch.