Joopiter, the auction company founded by legendary music records producer Pharrell Williams, focusses on digital events as a priority. Between July 24 and August 1, it will be holding an online charity auction in which 4 magnificent piece of art works by the renowned Ernie Barnes will be up for grabs. Interestingly, Serena Williams and Venus Williams are owning all those works that were purchased by the American tennis royalty many years ago directly from Barnes’ estate.
However, the sisters will not be doing this for their own profits. Instead, they will be auctioning off these works for a noble cause. The proceeds are set to go to Yetunde Price Resource Center. It is a community-based organization founded by the Williams sisters in 2018 in honor of their late oldest sister, Yetunde, who was “tragically killed by an act of senseless violence in 2003″.
Venus and Serena Williams to put up two paintings
Serena Williams and Venus Williams will be auctioning off two paintings. The oldest one being Holding Court (1986) and the latest one being Mentors (2008). Holding Court is reportedly worth anywhere between $80,000 and $120,000, while Mentors is said to be priced between $120,000 and $180,000, as per a report on ArtNews. Two drawings will also be up for sale, i.e. Saxophone Study #1 (1993) and Study for Brother to Brother (1994).
As a result, the Williams sisters can hope to raise more than $300,000 easily for their own foundation. Both the multiple champions are passionate about art. More recently, Venus Williams had joined hands with another top artist, Adam Pendleton for hosting a charity auction courtesy Sotheby’s at Pace Gallery with the objective of the proceeds being to save the childhood home of Nina Simone in North Carolina. Unfortunately, Simone, who was a songwriter and singer back in her day, passed away in 2021.
Still being ardent enthusiasts of Ernie Barnes, who also sadly expired in 2009, both the sisters provided their own statements to the media on the upcoming auction. Venus Williams was quoted as saying –
“This collaboration allows us to share our deep love of art in a way that enriches and empowers the broader community. Ernie Barnes’ artwork played a profound role in creating societal change, and we hope this partnership will similarly inspire, uplift, and make a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and the communities we serve.”
Serena Williams pretty much echoed her sister’s sentiments and she was quoted as saying –
“Ernie Barnes is an iconic Black artist my family and I have long admired. Through his vibrant imagery, he envisioned a colorful world of harmony between all communities, backgrounds, and races. These never-before-seen works of Ernie Barnes will help fund and provide vital resources to those affected by violence in Compton and underserved communities across the country.”
Venus Williams and Serena Williams net worth
The Serena Williams net worth figure is in the region of $250-300 million as per multiple media reports. Among the top rich, self-made women globally, Serena was ranked an impressive 90th in 2022.
Post her retirement in the same year, Serena Williams has been focusing more on her enterprise, Serena Ventures which is into venture capitalism. She is still largely funded by her long-term sponsors such as Nike, Wilson, Subway, Audemars-Piguet, Gatorade, Beats and Berlei. By the time, she quit the game, Serena earned nearly $450 million, which also included $95 million from her prize money earnings in competitions.
Serena Williams also has two houses – One in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and the other is a luxury post-retirement home in Miami, Florida. Both the houses are worth a whopping $9.1 million combined, according to The Daily Express.
On the other hand, the Venus Williams net worth figure is said to be around $95 million. Out of those $95 million, the elder Williams sister earned $42 million just from her prize money winnings from her consistency in her game.
