Madonna will be auctioning a painting from her wide collection to raise funds for an education initiative for girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other developing countries through her Ray of Light Foundation, according to a Reuters report.
Madonna's love for art is well known. The singer will be selling one of her paintings she bought at an auction in 1990; the Fernand Léger's Trois Femmes à la Table Rouge will be auctioned by Sotheby's in New York during an Impressionist and Modern Art auction May 7, 2013. The painting is estimated to sell for up to $7 million and all the funds will be used for the girls' education projects in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other developing countries.
Madonna said selling the painting for such a cause shows her "great passion for art and a great passion for education."
"I want to trade something valuable for something invaluable - Educating Girls!" the 54-year-old singer said.
Madonna said the painting she's contributing wil be for the cause called Three Women. All funds raised by this painting will be used to build schools in Afghanistan and other countries. Her decision to sell the painting comes after Madonna witnessed some controversies over expenses and mismanagement and failure of previous projects in South Africa.
"I cannot accept a world where women or girls are wounded, shot or killed for either going to school or teaching in girls' schools," she said. "We don't have time to be complacent."
Madonna's collection of art, which is worth over $120 million includes some finest pieces of work by great artists like Léger, Dali, Man Ray, Damien Hirst and Frida Kahlo. She is also the proud owner of Picasso's Buste de Femme à la Frange that she bought last year for $5 million.
Besides her love for art, Madonna also supports few other non-profit charitable organizations including Millennium Promise Alliance, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Raising Malawi and Bony Pony Ranch.
