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
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.
-
Step inside a Hollywood Hills home where European design meets Californian ease
LA studio Broad Project takes us inside its cinematic renovation of a 1960s Spanish Revival home in the Hollywood Hills
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Jnane Rumi: clarity, reflection and connection
In the quiet tranquillity of Marrakech’s Palmeraie, Jnane Rumi evokes a rich and colourful tapestry of Moroccan art, craftsmanship and design
-
Cindy Sherman in Menorca: ‘She's decades ahead of social media and the construction of identity for the camera’
‘Cindy Sherman: The Women’, its title a nod to an image-conscious 1930s Broadway hit, takes the American artist's carefully constructed, highly performative works to Hauser & Wirth Menorca
-
Leila Bartell’s cloudscapes are breezily distorted, a response to an evermore digital world
‘Memory Fields’ is the London-based artist’s solo exhibition at Tristan Hoare Gallery (until 25 July 2025)
-
A bespoke 40m mixed-media dragon is the centrepiece of Glastonbury’s new chill-out area
New for 2025 is Dragon's Tail – a space to offer some calm within Glastonbury’s late-night area with artwork by Edgar Phillips at its heart
-
Emerging artist Kasia Wozniak’s traditional photography techniques make for ethereal images
Wozniak’s photographs, taken with a 19th-century Gandolfi camera, are currently on show at Incubator, London
-
Vincent Van Gogh and Anselm Kiefer are in rich and intimate dialogue at the Royal Academy of Arts
German artist Anselm Kiefer has paid tribute to Van Gogh throughout his career. When their work is viewed together, a rich relationship is revealed
-
Alice Adams, Louise Bourgeois, and Eva Hesse delve into art’s ‘uckiness’ at The Courtauld
New exhibition ‘Abstract Erotic’ (until 14 September 2025) sees artists experiment with the grotesque
-
Get lost in Megan Rooney’s abstract, emotional paintings
The artist finds worlds in yellow and blue at Thaddaeus Ropac London
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
It was a jam-packed week for the Wallpaper* staff, entailing furniture, tech and music launches and lots of good food – from afternoon tea to omakase
-
London calling! Artists celebrate the city at Saatchi Yates
London has long been an inspiration for both superstar artists and newer talent. Saatchi Yates gathers some of the best