George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s sculptures to be auctioned in New York

A sculpture of Chris Carnabuci and Laolu of Breonna Taylor, the black woman shot dead during a police raid on her apartment in Kentucky, United States, in March 2020, is seen in an undated photo ahead of an auction at Sotheby’s in New York, United States Chris Carnabucci, Laolu NYC and Sotheby’s / Handout via REUTERS

December 8 (Reuters) – Sculptures of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor – two of black Americans killed at the hands of police in 2020 – are to be auctioned off to help nonprofit groups created by their families.

Sotheby’s auction house said on Wednesday that the sculptures by artist Chris Carnabucci will be offered for sale at its contemporary art online auction from December 9 to 17 after being on display to the public in New York City. earlier this year.

Floyd, who died in May 2020 after a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest, has become the face of a movement challenging police brutality and prejudice in the police system. American criminal justice. The officer was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Taylor was shot and killed when armed police broke into her Kentucky apartment in March 2020. None of the officers were charged with her death.

Sotheby’s in New York has said the 1.8-meter-high painted bronze sculpture of Floyd’s head is expected to fetch $ 100,000 to $ 150,000.

Taylor’s work is from a smaller scale to less than 4 feet (1.2 meters) high. It has been redesigned from the original bronze finish with black and white body art created by Nigerian-born performance artist Laolu. It brings a pre-sale estimate of $ 20,000 to $ 30,000.

Sotheby’s said the proceeds from the sale will support the We Are Floyd and Breonna Taylor Foundation created by their families to fight for social justice.

Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Mark Porter

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.