JAKARTA - A software engineer in Paris, Ari Hodara, won a charity draw worth 100 euros and was entitled to a Pablo Picasso painting worth more than 1 million euros or around US$1.2 million. With a rate of 1 euro around Rp20 thousand and 1 US dollar around Rp17 thousand. This means that the ticket he bought was only around Rp2 million, while the value of the painting was more than Rp20 billion.
The Anadolu Agency report, quoted on Tuesday, April 21, said the winner was announced in a fundraising program for Alzheimer's research.
Hodara, 58, admitted that he was suspicious when he received a video call from Christie's auction house. "How can I make sure this is not a scam?" he said. He said he bought the ticket spontaneously at the weekend, after finding out about the lottery while eating out.
This year's main prize is Head of a Woman, a portrait of Dora Maar that Picasso made in 1941. The program titled "1 Picasso for €100" is now in its third edition and is aimed at raising funds for Alzheimer's research.
The organizer said all 120,000 tickets were sold out. The total funds raised reached 12 million euros, or around Rp. 240 billion. Of that amount, 1 million euros, or around Rp. 20 billion, will be given to Opera Gallery, the owner of the previous painting. The gallery's founder, Gilles Dyan, said the work was released below its public value.
Picasso's grandson, Olivier Picasso, considers this project still in line with the character of the painter. According to him, Picasso was known to help many people, but did not like to show it off. Therefore, the use of Picasso's works for fundraising is considered still connected to the personal footsteps of the artist.
This lottery was initiated by a French television producer, Peri Cochin, who wanted to make a global lottery through the sale of online tickets with prizes for iconic works of art. The choice fell on Picasso, the name most easily recognized in the art world.
Olivier also explained that the painting was born in a difficult time. In 1941, Picasso faced a complicated personal situation, while Paris was under Nazi occupation. That's why the color of this painting is darker, with a predominance of brown, black, and gray.
This is not the first time that this kind of lottery has been held. Previous editions in 2013 and 2020 also awarded Picasso works to winners in the United States and Italy. The two previous editions are said to have raised more than 10 million euros for cultural and humanitarian projects in Lebanon and Africa.
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