World’s largest painting sells for R890 million

LAST year he set the record for creating the world’s largest painting. Now British artist SACHA JAFRI has again made headlines for selling the work for $62 million (R890m).

At the start of the coronavirus outbreak last year, the artist began working on his Journey of Humanity painting in a hotel ballroom in Dubai.

For inspiration, he asked children from 140 countries to send their own drawings and art about isolation and connection during the pandemic.

It took Sacha seven months to complete the huge painting, which he hoped would bring the world together during a difficult time.

The completed work is 1 600 square metres, which is about the size of four basketball courts.

In September it was named the largest art canvas in the world by Guinness World Records.

The artwork was split into 70 pieces, which were all bought by French businessman Andre Abdoune.

“The painting was very powerful when I saw it,” Andre says, “and for me, it would have been a mistake to separate the pieces.”

The money made with selling the painting was donated to charities to help children disadvantaged by the pandemic.