Seven works by two former domestic helpers who have become internationally acclaimed artists were bought by private collectors in an auction at the Bethune House 30th anniversary charity dinner held on Sept 30 at Li Hall in St John’s Cathedral.
The seven art works were among 32 donated by Xyza Cruz Bacani and Janet Pancho Gupta to help raise funds for Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, a shelter for distressed migrant helpers in Hong Kong.
Bacani, currently based in New York, had five buyers of her street photographs, while Pancho Gupta, a Hong Kong-based painter who added photography to her artistic pursuits recently, sold two works.
According to Bethune’s executive director Edwina Antonio, the silent auction for the seven works raised a total of $33,000 for the shelter.
Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of Mission for Migrant Workers which operates Bethune House, said the unsold works would be put up again for sale in future auctions to raise funds for the refuge.
“We’re planning to continue the auctions because that’s what the donors want anyway,” Tellez told The SUN shortly after the event.
Additional funds were raised from the $500 per plate dinner buffet featuring a variety of Filipino dishes prepared by residents of the shelter.
Live music was provided by Hong Kong-based Filipino artist and The SUN staff William Elvin Manzano, who contributed his talent pro bono.
Antonio expressed thanks to Bacani, a friend of Bethune House who has been actively supporting the struggle of foreign domestic workers for their rights, and to Pancho Gupta, a former resident who was herself a victim of abusive employers.
Bacani, who is currently in New York, sent her greetings to Bethune House on a video message projected on a screen.
Pancho Gupta, for her part, recalled the days when she was at Bethune and no one knew that she was an artist until she started drawing as part of her activities in the refuge.
