In observation of Syria’s 5-year-long humanitarian crisis, the British Red Cross is hosting an auction on eBay to raise funds for their Syria Crisis Appeal. Aptly titled “Postcards for Syria,” the works comprise postcard art designed and produced by a diverse crop of sympathizers, including Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry, as well as a host of Syrian artists and illustrators.
According to the project page, the postcard format was selected for its association with compassion. “When you send a postcard to somebody,” the statement reads, “you do so because you want to send them a message. It’s a simple act that shows you are thinking about them.”
Prices for the works stars at .99 pence. The top bid so far is the £970 ($1,300) pledged for Perry’s signed ink-and-colored pencil drawing.
The Syrian artists who have contributed include Tammam Azzam, Mohammad Omran, and Diala Brisly. Other submissions include works by students from several schools throughout the United Kingdom.
Charlotte Walsh, Beautiful.
Photo: Courtesy of Charlotte Walshe.
“Postcards for Syria provides a way for people to respond to this devastating humanitarian crisis in a more personal form,” Ted Tuthill, head of British Red Cross Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement.
Tuthill continued: “These cards will also help to raise vital funds to continue the aid operation in Syria, supporting Red Crescent volunteers who have been working through the most dangerous and difficult situations since the fighting began.”
Tammam Azzam, Untitled.
Photo: Courtesy of the British Red Cross via eBay.
Sleman Shwaish, a refugee serice coordinator who fled the country in 2012, says in the same release that “[t]his project is a way for all of us, Syrians and citizens of the world, to express our feelings and our solidarity.”
Diala Brisly, Untitled.
Photo: Courtesy of the British Red Cross via eBay.
Moustafa Jacoub, Syrian Exile.
Photo: Courtesy of the British Red Cross via eBay.
The eBay auction runs from Sunday, March 13 through Sunday, March 20.