Steps by Peter Drake, Acrylic on Canvas Panel, 20 x 16 in. 

Courtesy of the Artist and Linda Warren Projects 

Paddle8: Steps - Peter Drake

The Waterkeeper Alliance & Art for Water

Waterkeeper Alliance is pleased to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act by hosting their first-ever art auction — Art for Water–at the Matthew Marks Gallery on March 5th.  Beginning today, Paddle8 is thrilled to be the exclusive online preview for this important fundraiser.


Waterkeeper Alliance is the world’s largest and fastest growing clean water advocacy group.  This auction will raise significant funds that will enable Waterkeeper Alliance to continue to fight in communities across the globe for their right to clean water.  Water is among today’s most pressing issues—security and scarcity, energy and climate change, and the cause and spread of infectious disease. 

Waterkeeper Alliance is on the front lines protecting that resource and unites Waterkeepers who patrol and protect rivers, bays, lakes and streams on six continents—more than 1.6 million miles of waterways—in boats ranging in size from kayaks to research vessels.  Waterkeeper Alliance is the leading voice for the world’s waters with roots dating back to 1966, when a concerned group of commercial and recreation fishermen mobilized to reclaim the Hudson River from polluters.  Their tough, hands on, community oriented brand of environmental activism and miraculous recovery of the Hudson inspired 200 other individuals and organizations to launch Waterkeepers from the Mississippi to the Amazon to the Tigris to the Ganges and across the globe to fight in their communities for the right to have swimmable, drinkable and fishable water.

Art for Water, is led by artist chair, Jeff Koons.  The auction will include an exciting collection of artworks by famous names such as Olafur Eliasson, Alex Katz, Laurie Simmons, and Gregory Crewdson.  Many of the artworks included will display water subjects and motifs relating to the foundations mission.

Leading the auction, we have Lobster Wall Relief, donated by Koons for the Waterkeeper Alliance. Lobster is a hyper-realistic sculpture, mimicking the inflatable floating pool toy and stands at 78 x 48.25 inches.  Much like Koons’ previous ‘inflatable’ sculptures, the piece is constructed completely out of stainless steel with its vibrant red colors and is made with the same playful attitude that is Koons’ signature style. 

For more information on the Waterkeeper Alliance, check out their website.  Be sure to take a look at the rest of the Waterkeeper Preview on Paddle8 today.