Halsey auctioning original paintings to raise abortion funds: All you need to know

American singer-songwriter Halsey, who has been a vocal advocate for abortion rights, is now donating live paintings made during their tour to raise abortion funds. The artist is auctioning off five original paintings made in front of live audiences during different shows of tour in venues including Detroit, Boston, Nashville, Gulf Shores, Alabama and Portland, Oregon.

The original art-pieces are available on display in Sotheby's New York, and interested buyers can bid for the artwork online. The current starting bid is between $5000 and $7000.

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Halsey is auctioning the paintings via Sotheby's New York

Halsey created the paintings in three minutes while simultaneously singing one of their songs during the Love and Power Tour. The artwork is done on white canvas paintings that depict black outlined faces filled in with primary colors.

The paintings are on sale as part of Sotheby’s Contemporary Discoveries auction. The proceeds from the five paintings will be donated to the National Network of Abortions, which supports abortion funds across the United States.

The auction focuses on art made after the 1960s and also features works from artists including Os Gemeos, Victor Vasarely, Larry Poons, Aboudia, George Condo, Larry Bell, and more. The sale went live on July 9 and will be open until July 19 for buyers to place their bids.

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Halsey has been vocal advocate of abortion rights in the US

Halsey is one of the most outspoken artists who has been vocal about abortion rights in the US. During their recent shows, the artist has been sharing slides with the message of the possible consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade.

The slide reads:

"Half of the states are expected to ban abortion. Some will prosecute those who seek abortion or aid those in seeking abortion. This catastrophic attack on bodily autonomy will only encourage more dangerous legislation, impacting vulnerable communities the most."

The slide concludes with the message:

"Don't wait for revolutionaries to change the world. Be the revolutionaries. No one is coming to do the work for us. The work is ours and we have to do it now."

Earlier on June 24, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Halsey took to social media noting that they felt defeated and that they have been advocating for reproductive rights for the longest time.

Taking to Twitter, the singer wrote:

"I have been advocating for abortion, reproductive rights, and bodily integrity for as long as I’ve had a platform and I’m running out of ways to word and frame the severity of the impact that fundamentalism has on our country."

The artist also recently shared a personal experience explaining how abortion saved her life before she became pregnant with son Ender. Explaining her ordeal, the artist wrote:

“I miscarried three times before my 24th birthday. One of my miscarriages required ‘aftercare,’ a gentle way of saying that I would need an abortion, because my body could not terminate the pregnancy completely on its own and I would risk going into sepsis without medical intervention. During this procedure, I cried. I was afraid for myself and I was helpless. I was desperate to end the pregnancy that was threatening my life.”

The Supreme Court overturned the 50-year-old Roe v. Wade ruling on June 24 that granted women in the US a guaranteed federal constitutional protection of abortion rights. The new ruling allows states to impose severe restrictions on abortions. Over half the states are already working on laws to outrightly ban abortions.