Lot 5025

Give Peace A Chance, 2008

By Jef Campion

From Kristen's Archive

Mixed media

47.5"H × 16"W

Gallery Value: $7,000

Auction Estimate: $5,000–7,000

Opening Bid

$700

This lot has a reserve.

Description

Jef Campion's work exists at the intersection of street art, activism, and lived experience. A New York City firefighter and first responder during the September 11 attacks, Campion spent weeks working at Ground Zero before returning to a studio practice that became deeply informed by themes of violence, innocence, conflict, and hope.

His best-known works reinterpret Diane Arbus' iconic Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, transforming the image into a powerful anti-war symbol through paint, text, and intervention. In Give Peace A Chance, the familiar child becomes a messenger rather than an aggressor. The handwritten words feel urgent but deeply human, a reminder that change often begins with a single voice.

I purchased this piece in 2008 while living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I stumbled across a makeshift pop-up gallery on Bedford Avenue, saw this work leaning against the wall, and knew immediately it was coming home with me. I carried it to dinner that evening because I couldn't imagine leaving it behind. It has remained in my personal collection ever since.

Campion tragically lost his battle with PTSD in 2014. Today, his work carries an added weight, standing not only as a commentary on war and violence, but also as a deeply personal reminder of the invisible burdens many carry long after history has moved on.

Details

Artist: Jef Campion

Title: Give Peace A Chance

2008

Mixed media

47.5"H × 16"W

From Kristen Coates' personal collection

Original artwork

Excellent condition