amfAR to Honor Artist Marina Abramović (EXCLUSIVE)

This year’s amfAR Venezia benefit gala will honor renowned conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramović.

The sixth annual event returns to Venice, Italy, on Sept. 6. 

“It is an honor to recognize the humanitarian impact of Marina Abramović’s work and philanthropy in Venice this year,” said amfAR CEO Kyle Clifford. “Her groundbreaking artistry and dedication to people living with HIV/AIDS are an inspiration to us all.”

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Since the beginning of her career in the early 1970s, Abramović has pioneered performance as a visual art form. She created some of the most important early works in this practice and was one of the first performance artists to become formally accepted by the institutional museum world. Abramović was awarded the Golden Lion Award for Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale and was also named one of The 100 Most Influential People by Time in 2014.

amfAR’s black-tie gala will take place at the Molino Stucky Venice and feature special musical performances and a live auction of contemporary artworks and one-of-a-kind experiences.

amfAR has a long association with Italy, hosting events in Venice and Milan through the years. amfAR Venezia honorees have included Antonio Banderas, Richard Gere, Ava DuVernay, Ferzan Özpetek, Achille Boroli, Mohammed Al Turki, and, most recently, Julian Schnabel.

World Gold Council is the presenting sponsor of amfAR Venezia. Chopard is the evening’s signature sponsor with Variety as the event’s Media Partner.

amfAR is a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and transforming global health with a primary and enduring commitment to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Serving as a catalyst for breakthrough science, amfAR supports innovative research in areas where viruses and the immune system play a defining role, including cancer, neurological conditions, autoimmune disorders, and other viral diseases. Since 1985, amfAR has raised more than $950 million and awarded in excess of 3,900 grants to scientists worldwide.