The Area Performance of Lucca Comics & Games renews its commitment to promoting art and solidarity with the traditional charity auction on Catawiki, taking place from March 14 to March 23, 2025, during Lucca Collezionando. This is a unique opportunity for collectors and illustration enthusiasts to acquire original works by renowned artists who have collaborated with Area Performance for 26 years while supporting important charitable causes.
This year, in addition to supporting the ongoing projects of the Area Performance Association, the auction will contribute to two special initiatives that combine art and social commitment:
“La Toscana delle Donne” – Art Supporting Afghan Female Cyclists
After traveling through Florence and Viareggio, the “La Toscana delle Donne” exhibition will arrive at Lucca Collezionando, featuring three original works by Alice Milani, Rita Petruccioli, and La Tram. These pieces, created live during the opening event at the Teatro del Maggio Fiorentino, will be auctioned on Catawiki, with proceeds going entirely to the Afghan Women’s National Cycling Team.
These three artworks offer a profound perspective on women’s rights and the struggle for self-determination:
- “Insieme” by Rita Petruccioli, a tribute to the ongoing journey toward gender equality and the courage of women shaping a more just future.
- “I weave my own thread” by La Tram, inspired by the myth of the Fates, depicting Iranian women as allegorical figures symbolizing their right to shape their destinies.
- “Italia Donati, municipal schoolteacher in Porciano” by Alice Milani, honoring Italia Donati, a victim of 19th-century societal prejudice, whose story serves as a reminder of the impact of social judgment on women’s freedoms.
FantastikA – Fantasy Art Supporting Civil Protection
The second special initiative involves FantastikA, the Biennial Fantasy Illustration Exhibition held in Dozza (BO), an event dedicated to promoting fantasy illustration, with a particular focus on works inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien. Founded in 2014, FantastikA has attracted artists and fantasy art enthusiasts to the medieval village of Dozza, becoming an international biennial event in 2017.
Through a collaboration with Area Performance, exclusive artworks created by FantastikA artists will be auctioned to support the creation of the Dozza with You Civil Protection and Solidarity Association (Dozza con Te Odv), which will provide essential resources for the city to face climate emergencies.
Comics for Pediatrics – 20 Years of Comics Supporting Young Patients
Lucca Collezionando 2025 will also celebrate a major milestone: 20 years of collaboration between Area Performance and the Pediatrics Department of San Luca Hospital in Lucca. Initiated in 2004 by Renato Genovese, the “Comics for Pediatrics” project has created a path of “informed awareness” through educational comics distributed free of charge to young hospital patients.
From the first issues of “Gugo and Guga” by Studio Genovese (2004-2007) to the Max series, developed since 2009 first with the International School of Comics and later with TheSign, these comics have helped children better understand and face their medical journeys. During Lucca Collezionando, a special exhibition will celebrate this extraordinary initiative, along with the launch of the new issue of Max, written by Manfredi Toraldo and illustrated by Chiara Pinzauti, and the first collected edition of these educational comics, featuring the first four volumes.
An Auction of Art and Solidarity
The Catawiki auction is a unique opportunity for art and comic book lovers: by acquiring one of these original pieces, participants will not only enrich their collections but also contribute to meaningful causes, supporting cultural and social projects that use art as a tool for change.
Auction open from March 14 to March 23, 2025
Join the auction on Catawiki: https://bit.ly/3FmD9vW