Kate Bush is harnessing the power of her global hit Running Up That Hill in collaboration with leading names in British art to raise money for children caught up in global conflicts.
The singer-songwriter invited 52 visual artists to respond to her lyric “If I only could, I’d make a deal with God” from her 1985 anthem. One of her best-loved songs and hailed as “one of the greatest songs of all time” by Rolling Stone, it became a hit all over again in 2022 when it featured in the fourth season of the US TV series Stranger Things.
Maggi Hambling, once described as the “original bad girl of art” and Peter Doig, whose paintings have sold for millions, are among those to contribute works interpreting the lyric for the fundraiser Sound & Vision, named after David Bowie’s 1977 hit. All the works will feature in an online auction, from 28 October to 13 November, with starting bids at £100, to raise money for the charity War Child, which protects, educates, and stands up for the rights of children living in war zones.
Midnight Wave by Maggi Hambling. Photograph: Maggi Hambling
Announcing the project, Bush said: “All wars leave horrific scars; ruined lives, families ripped apart, life-changing injuries, trauma, and loss on a massive scale – but it’s the children who suffer the most in so many ways. Their past, present and future melt away into fear and uncertainty.
“It is more important than ever we support War Child and their invaluable work providing immediate aid to children caught in conflict all over the world including in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and Syria. Projects like Sound & Vision harness the power of art and music to make a real difference to children living through war.”
Kate Bush photographed in London, 1978. Photograph: Gered Mankowitz/Iconic Images
Doig has contributed two signed pieces: The Hill, on the theme of the crucifixion, and Child of War depicting a child looking at a figure on horseback. Hambling’s contribution is titled Midnight Wave.
Charlie Calder-Potts, Britain’s youngest female official war artist who worked with the British army in Afghanistan, and who has since travelled the world creating work in Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan and at Yazidi refugee camps in Iraq, has created a new work.
So too have Corbin Shaw, known for textiles, prints and flags capturing modern-day Britishness through ancient crafts; Susie Hamilton, a former artist-in-residence at St Paul’s Cathedral whose portraits of doctors, nurses and patients facing Covid-19 are held by the Science Museum; and Unskilled Worker, AKA Helen Downie, who discovered painting aged 48 and shot to industry-wide fame, growing an Instagram following of more than 280,000 followers.
The exhibition, curated by Art on a Postcard and sponsored by DHL, will go on display at Iconic Images Gallery in Piccadilly, London, from 4-8 November. Contributors also include LUAP, Hannah Lim, Kate McCrickard, Erin Lawlor, Gill Button, Adam Dix, David Harrison, Gideon Rubin, Boo Saville, Shezad Dawood, Natalia González Martín, while Peter Messer and Nick Grindrod will return after taking part in last year’s Sound & Vision.
And If I Only Could I’d Make a Deal With God by Susie Hamilton. Photograph: Susie Hamilton
Bush follows in the footsteps of Bowie as a supporter of War Child. Bowie helped curate a fundraising exhibition for the charity in 1994 called Little Pieces from Big Stars, which 30 years later was the inspiration for the first Sound & Vision last year with artists responding to the lyric “We like dancing and we look divine” from his song Rebel Rebel.
The curator Gemma Peppé, the founder of Art on a Postcard, said Bush’s lyric had “prompted some great contemporary artists to produce some vibrant and evocative work”. She said Doig had asked if he could take part. “I nearly fell off my chair. That’s a testament to the great work War Child does.”
Charlotte Nimmo from War Child UK, which is present in a number of active conflict zones including Ukraine and Gaza, said: “We are delighted to announce that Sound & Vision is returning, this year inspired by lyrics from the incredible Kate Bush. This is made possible thanks to the immense generosity of both Kate and her team, as well as the iconic artists that are creating and donating pieces inspired by Kate’s lyrics.
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