Absolut Elyx & Water For People Host Annual Philanthropy Benefit With Sean Kelly, Alexander Gilkes & Hugo McCloud December 1, 2016 At Art Basel Miami Beach

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Absolut's luxury vodka Elyx and non-profit organization Water For People announce the celebration of their partnership on the opening night of Art Basel, the world's premier art fair, at the exclusive art-deco Nautilus South Beach. Pioneering gallerist Sean Kelly, the leading online auction house Paddle8 co-founder Alexander Gilkes, international marketer and Absolut Elyx CEO Jonas Tahlin and Water For People CEO Eleanor Allen will co-host the charity cocktail event on Thursday, December 1st. During the event, guests will enjoy bespoke cocktails and will have the opportunity to view a painting created by artist Hugo McCloud, which will be sold via Paddle8 to raise funds for Water For People.

Widely acclaimed for his large-scale abstract paintings and sculptural objects that investigate an enduring desire to uncover beauty in the overlooked and abandoned, McCloud's work pushes the boundaries of utilitarian materials and confronts aesthetic perceptions. The auction of McCloud's painting will begin on November 22 and conclude on December 6, exclusively online through Paddle8.  McCloud's exhibition at the Sean Kelly gallery will run from December 10th to January 21st.  Experiential lots, including- a cocktail class at the private residence of Jonas Tahlin, CEO of Absolut Elyx, in Los Angeles will also be up for auction. The event will also feature an exciting music line-up with a DJ set from MeLo-X performer and recent Director of the short film, "McCloud In Process".

The annual celebration is part of a five-year partnership between Elyx and Water For People to provide safe water to more than 100,000 people worldwide. Proceeds from the auction could provide over 2,000 people with access to safe water for generations to come. This year the philanthropy will bring together tastemakers from around the country, creating the Impact Circle- a group designed to support philanthropic initiatives throughout the year. Members of the Impact Circle include actor Scott Eastwood, stylist Jeff Kim, designer Julia Clancey, designer Stacey Bendet Eisner, journalist Alicia Quarles, model Danielle Knudson, photographer & filmmaker Francesco Carrozzini, journalist Lesley Abravanel, DJ & actress Mia Moretti, gallerist Lauren Kelly, and ballerina Simone Messmer.

"We are thrilled to be back at Art Basel with Water For People to raise awareness for the global water issue," said Jonas Tahlin, CEO of Absolut Elyx. "Through art, we hope to inspire others to participate in this global dialogue in putting an end to water poverty within our lifetime. Our partnership with Water for People, Sean Kelly, Hugo McCloud, and Alexander Gilkes will shine a spotlight on the campaign while raising money to affect real change."

"Water For People and Elyx have embarked on a long-term partnership based on the social impact of our shared values of integrity, creativity, and sustainability. We are on a 5-year journey together to bring access to safe water to 100,000 people in the nine countries where we work. The fundraiser at Art Basel in Miami connects art to the work we do and is an excellent example of our partnership in action," said Eleanor Allen CEO of Water For People.

"We are delighted to be co-hosting this extraordinary event for Water for People with our colleagues at Elyx for the second year. With the proceeds raised from the auction of Hugo McCloud's work, we are certain that this initiative to bring clean, safe drinking water to those who need it most will be a huge success. Hugo and the gallery applaud Elyx for their commitment to this outstanding cause," said Sean Kelly.

The philanthropy partnership with Water For People launched in September of 2015 and has raised over $500,000. For every vodka bottle sold, Elyx will provide access to one week of safe water (140 liters), and for every item sold in the Elyx Boutique, Elyx will provide access to one month of safe water (560 liters) to someone in need through Water For People's work. Elyx will also offer an interactive Elyx cocktail tasting experience at the Miami Beach EDITION during Art Basel- featuring world renowned bartenders Alex Kratena, Simone Caporale, and Monica Berg as well as a pop-up holiday Boutique at the Spectrum Miami Art Show.

ABOUT ABSOLUT ELYX
Absolut Elyx is a new definition of luxury vodka, built on the principles of quality, integrity and true craftsmanship. Every drop of Absolut Elyx is made with soft winter wheat from a Single estate, Rabelof, in Southern Sweden. The wheat is then manually distilled in a vintage copper column still from 1921. The still, operated by hand by a select few, is made entirely of copper. The result is an award winning vodka with a rich and exceptionally smooth mouth feel.

ABOUT WFP
Water For People is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing access to improved water and sanitation systems and services in developing countries. By working with local governments, the private sector, and partners, Water For People ensures that everyone in a specific region has these basic needs met forever. This innovative approach reaches every family, every school, and every clinic, catalyzing transformative change for better health and economic development to occur globally.

ABOUT SEAN KELLY
Founded in 1991, Sean Kelly has established a reputation for diverse, intellectually driven, unconventional exhibitions and a commitment to important, challenging contemporary art. In 2012, Sean Kelly moved from Chelsea to a 22,000 square foot space at 475 Tenth Avenue in a historic 1914 building, enabling the Gallery to mount increasingly ambitious, museum-quality exhibitions to great critical acclaim. The Gallery's roster of artists include such notable figures as Marina Abramovic, Candida Hofer, Joseph Kosuth, Antony Gormley, the estate of Robert Mapplethorpe, Mariko Mori, Alec Soth, and Kehinde Wiley, among many others. For more information, please visit skny.com

ABOUT AUCTIONATA | PADDLE8
Auctionata | Paddle8 is the global online leader in art and luxury collectibles. Through innovative livestream auction formats, charity auctions, private sales, and a curated online shop, the recently merged platforms offer a seamless online process to sell and purchase art, design, classic cars, watches, jewelry, wine and real estate. With a global community of collectors of about 800,000 Auctionata | Paddle8 is one of the ten biggest auction houses worldwide outside of China. The company has offices in Berlin, New York, London, Los Angeles, Rome, Zurich, and Madrid and is thus represented in the most important international markets.  We are proud to partner with more than 300 nonprofit organizations worldwide to present their benefit auctions to a global community of collectors, helping each organization expand its reach and increase its fundraising results.www.paddle8.com

SOURCE Absolut Elyx