Pink Bear At Christie's

In 2019, I support the Terrence Higgins Trust for the third year running by donating one of my photographic prints to their charity auction at Christie’s. The print is titled Purple Starlight and I capture it during a trip to New Zealand, where I photograph the Pink Bear standing in a wild field of lupins beneath the Milky Way. The image is part of my ongoing exploration of identity and transformation, placing the Bear in remote or sublime landscapes where meaning can shift and expand.

On the night of the auction, I want to do more than just offer the work. I want to bring some energy into the room. So I bring the Pink Bear along. As soon as he walks to the front of the auction room, the atmosphere changes. People cheer. They wave. It’s playful but full of purpose. The Bear becomes part of the action. And it works — Purple Starlight sells for double its listed price. All proceeds go to the Terrence Higgins Trust and their ongoing work in HIV prevention and support.

This moment stays with me. It shows how art can reach people in unexpected ways. The Bear is a character born from therapy and memory, but over time he has become something more — a figure that carries energy, emotion and connection into real spaces. At Christie’s, that presence helped spark a moment that turned into something meaningful.