Beauty & Style | Thursday 27 October, 2016 5:13 pm |

‘Jeans For Refugees’ by artist and designer Johny Dar is a artistic fundraising initiative and celebrity collaboration that has garnered the attention of the world. 100 pairs of celebrity-donated jeans have been individually hand-painted by Dar, and are now showing at the Saatchi Gallery for one week only. Celebrities including Emma Watson, Sir Elton John, Salma Hayek, P!nk, Harry Styles, Julianne Moore, Victoria Beckham and many more have donated their jeans to the cause. The campaign asserts that all human beings have an equal value and right to live in safety, stability and peace and proceeds raised from the auction of the Jeans For Refugees will be donated to the International Rescue Committee.

 

Dar’s creative vision is about more than re-designing jeans - it calls for a new perspective to be birthed, both individually and collectively, and offers audiences a new renaissance of expression through art. In addition to painted jeans, the JFR exhibition features Dar’s ‘Paradise’ series: 18 paintings representing an utopia emerging from the colours of humanity’s collective experience - from celebrity to refugee - weaved together into a bright, colourful and vibrant future. As we face the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time - this is a future that is only possible if we change our ways.

 

Johny Dar and Jeans For Refugees would like to honour and pay tribute to Her Excellency Ameera Binkaram – Deputy Chairperson of NAMA - the presenters of the JFR exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. Very tragically and unexpectedly, Ameera died few days ago. She will be deeply missed. Ameera was dedicated to the refugee cause, among many others including the advancement of women, and she put her heart and soul behind the JFR initiative from the moment she knew about it. Speaking at the Ifmena conference in Sharjah recently she said: ‘As space is infinite, women’s aspirations and dreams must also have no limits.’ Her vision and heart will not be forgotten, and remain an integral part of the JFR initiative. We are thankful to have known her and for all she has done to bring forward this movement for positive change.

 

 

We would like to invite everyone to participate - in whatever way you can - to help spread the word, share the JFR message, and bid for the Jeans For Refugees. A retweet, a like, a share, a shout out, a bid, or inviting people to the exhibit – each contribution can help make a difference where it counts.

 

Believing in a better world is not just about believing - it’s about acting. Collaborating. Creating the change we know is possible. Be part of restoring the dignity of refugees. Bid for freedom at catawiki.com/jeansforrefugees.

 

The ‘Jeans For Refugees’ exhibition, presented by Nama, will run from 24th-30th October at the Saatchi Gallery. The Jeans For Refugees are available to bid for online at catawiki.com/jeansforrefugees until the 30th October. Proceeds are donated to the International Rescue Committee.

 

Special thanks to Her Higness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of the ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of Nama Women Advancement establishment and Eminent Advocate for UNHCR for her patronage of Jeans For Refugees.