Paper mates: Max Fraser taps creative luminaries for a charity auction with a twist

Maggie’s charity is no stranger to partnering with prominent design figures. Thomas Heatherwick, Wilkinson Eyre and OMA are among some of the names who have shaped its Cancer Caring Centres across the UK. These peaceful environments, and the artworks inside them, have become central pillars of the charity, which offers free practical, emotional and social support.
Long-time collaborator, and design commentator Max Fraser, shares this ethos. ‘I’m very much of the belief that design can improve our world, and our emotional wellbeing,’ he says. Having collaborated with the charity since he curated the ‘Joy of Living’ art auction in 2011, he sees himself as ‘a sort of unofficial ambassador’. A new edition of the auction – in association with paper powerhouse GF Smith – is set to take this ambassadorship to new fundraising heights.
The second edition will be paired with a physical exhibition at London’s 1 Poultry, for which Fraser delved into his (not so little) black book of design world contacts. He called on renowned architects, designers and artists, along with young practitioners whose work he admired, and asked them to create a unique, auctionable object, from nothing but three sheets of GF Smith’s ‘Colorplan’ paper range.
The response was overwhelming – not least for the porter in Fraser’s apartment building, who was on the receiving end of all the oddly shaped, near-weightless packages.
A total of 90 designers jumped at the idea back in 2011, and this year’s auction is set to far exceed that, with 150 contributors confirmed, including Jasper Morrison, Barber & Osgerby, John Pawson, Fredrikson Stallard, Bethan Laura Wood, and Tom Dixon. ‘Between then and now, I know a lot more designers personally – and to be honest, I’ve made the most of those relationships,’ Fraser explains.
It was essential for both Fraser and Maggie’s that the auction be uplifting, an idea he instilled in each of the collaborators. The works – in all their colourful, life-affirming glory – reflect this. Sometimes political, sometimes purely pretty, each piece is presented anonymously. Bidders won’t know whose work they’re buying (a graduate, or a Rolf Sachs) until after they’ve purchased it. ‘Some people said I was an idiot for keeping it anonymous,’ Fraser adds. ‘They said, “You’ll get a lot more money for certain names.” I hate all that elitist stuff. I just think people should buy what they love.’
An atmosphere of warmth, reflection and maturity permeate the works, and the project as a whole, reflecting the deeply personal reason Fraser feels such close ties to Maggie’s. ‘My mum died of cancer so I was very keen to do something to support a cancer charity,’ he explains. ‘The alignment with Maggie’s is perfect because of the importance it places on spatial design as a key aspect in the treatment and emotional curing process. I wish my mother had benefited from a service like that.’
INFORMATION
All artworks will be available to bid for online until 17 September, 6pm BST. For more information, visit the Maggie’s website
ADDRESS
1 Poultry
London EC2R 8EJ
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 shows
The Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to know
Designing the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spot
Heritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
The UK AIDS Memorial Quilt will be shown at Tate Modern
The 42-panel quilt, which commemorates those affected by HIV and AIDS, will be displayed in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in June 2025
-
Meet the Turner Prize 2025 shortlisted artists
Nnena Kalu, Rene Matić, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa are in the running for the Turner Prize 2025 – here they are with their work
-
‘Humour is foundational’: artist Ella Kruglyanskaya on painting as a ‘highly questionable’ pursuit
Ella Kruglyanskaya’s exhibition, ‘Shadows’ at Thomas Dane Gallery, is the first in a series of three this year, with openings in Basel and New York to follow
-
The art of the textile label: how British mill-made cloth sold itself to Indian buyers
An exhibition of Indo-British textile labels at the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru is a journey through colonial desire and the design of mass persuasion
-
Artist Qualeasha Wood explores the digital glitch to weave stories of the Black female experience
In ‘Malware’, her new London exhibition at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, the American artist’s tapestries, tuftings and videos delve into the world of internet malfunction
-
Ed Atkins confronts death at Tate Britain
In his new London exhibition, the artist prods at the limits of existence through digital and physical works, including a film starring Toby Jones
-
Tom Wesselmann’s 'Up Close' and the anatomy of desire
In a new exhibition currently on show at Almine Rech in London, Tom Wesselmann challenges the limits of figurative painting
-
A major Frida Kahlo exhibition is coming to the Tate Modern next year
Tate’s 2026 programme includes 'Frida: The Making of an Icon', which will trace the professional and personal life of countercultural figurehead Frida Kahlo