Joy of Living at Somerset House

Last week I went to the opening of the 'Joy of Living' Exhibition at Somerset House with my boyfriend (Gareth Neal) who had a piece of work in the show along with my friend Helen Murray. 

Organised by Max Fraser, the exhibition invited 100 designers to create an artwork starting from a simple sheet of A4 graph paper.  Including works from Terence Conran, Tom Dixon, Rob Ryan, and Sebastian Bergne, the artworks are all for sale, raising money for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.  

In keeping with Maggie’s democratic philosophy, each work was priced at £250 whether by a household name or a rising star. The name of the artist will be revealed only once the work is purchased, ensuring supporters buy a piece to which they have a true emotional response.

Of his connection to the charity, Max Fraser explains,  “After a very personal, emotional journey as I supported my mother through her 6-year battle with cancer, I vowed to contribute in some way to mankind’s fight against this disease. Maggie’s recognises that building an atmosphere of calm and celebrating a good quality of life are immensely beneficial to patients, and I know that my mother would have benefited so positively from its services.”

The exhibition at Somerset House is open until March 21st, with works also available to view and purchase online. The project aims to raise £50,000 for Maggie’s.