MORE than 200 artworks are displayed for sale through an auction at Java Cafe and Gallery this week.

The works have been created by students of the Visual Arts School run by the NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak, located in Battambang.

The silent auction component of the bidding has already begun. A base price has been set for each piece and buyers can anonymously offer their bidding price, adding increments of US$10 for each bid.

A live auction of 20 selected works will also be organised on Thursday at 6pm, in the presence of three artists, Pen Robit, Sin Rithy and Nov Cheanich. Both live auction and silent auction will end on Thursday.

Paintings, drawings, mixed media pieces and sculptures make up the eclectic collection available at both auctions.

As of yesterday, over two dozen people had registered for the silent auction and the popular expat gallery is expecting many more.

It is also possible to turn up on Thursday, the final night, without registering.

“The aim is to let people ... know about our organisation, especially the English-speakers,” explained Isabelle Drouillard, who is the  representative for Phare Ponleu Selpak in Phnom Penh.

“Of course, the objective is also to engender incomes for the artists,” she added. Seventy percent of the price goes to the artist and 30 percent is given to the Children’s House of the NGO and to the Visual Arts School.

The money earned will enable artists to further invest in their futures. The paintings that remain after the auction will be on sale at the cafe until the end of the month.