Tracey Emin applauds the work of Israeli art museums at £650,000 London dinner

An iconic Annie Leibovitz portrait of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, taken hours before Lennon’s death, has raised £80,000 for the British Friends of the Art Museums of Israel.

The auction proceeds helped swell the total from Bfami’s gala dinner at Battersea Arts Centre to £650,000-plus, which will fund educational projects at Israeli art museums.

Tracey Emin, Yinka Shonibare, Maria Balshaw, Ron Arad and Kelly Hoppen were among prominent art and design world figures among the 400 guests.

Guest of honour was internationally acclaimed artist Edmund de Waal, who donated, courtesy of Gagosian, a work in porcelain, gold, silver and alabaster to the auction, which was conducted by Hugh Edmeades of Christie’s.