Prints on auction for Hammerl

Anton Hammerl in Brega, Libya, shortly before he disappeared. In a poignant post, photographer Unai Aranzadi posted a photograph he took of Hammerl just prior to his being taken. The caption reads: Dear Anton, this is a picture that I took from you in the Brega Frontline. I m sure that we will meet again, may be not in my hotel room, may be not having dinner in Benghazi or visiting the frontline, but with our loved ones, with a cold beer, in peace and safety. See you soon my frontline brother! Picture: Unai Aranzadi

Anton Hammerl in Brega, Libya, shortly before he disappeared. In a poignant post, photographer Unai Aranzadi posted a photograph he took of Hammerl just prior to his being taken. The caption reads: Dear Anton, this is a picture that I took from you in the Brega Frontline. I m sure that we will meet again, may be not in my hotel room, may be not having dinner in Benghazi or visiting the frontline, but with our loved ones, with a cold beer, in peace and safety. See you soon my frontline brother! Picture: Unai Aranzadi

Published May 7, 2012

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 Renowned photographers will sell signed prints at an auction hosted by US television news mainstay Christiane Amanpour to raise funds for the family of Anton Hammerl, a photojournalist killed in Libya.

The Friends of Anton auction at Christie's in New York on May 15 aims to benefit the slain photographer's three children, organizers said.

Hammerl, from South Africa, was killed last year during a freelance assignment to cover the violent overthrow of longtime Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi.

For 44 days, Kadhafi officials at the time said Hammerl was alive. “The truth is he was left to die in the desert. A campaign is currently underway to locate and recover his remains,” the Friends of Anton group said.

The auction will offer signed prints by photographers including Sebastiao Salgado, Tim Hetherington, Yuri Kozyrev, Larry Fink, Ron Haviv, Joao Silva, and Samuel Aranda. Agence France-Presse is also contributing four photo prints to the auction.

“The upcoming Friends of Anton auction at Christie's is a milestone in contemporary photojournalism,” said New York-based collector Alan L. Paris.

“The contributors are top notch, the photos are of the highest quality, the material is fresh to the marketplace, and it is all for a very good cause.” - Sapa-AFP

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