TOP CHARITY record: 40 million PLN raised from business leaders in 90 minutes. Brzoska doubled the total

03 czerwca 2026

The fifth anniversary season of TOP CHARITY confirmed that art remains one of the most effective tools of modern philanthropy. This year’s art auction and “Great Emotions” auction raised a record amount of approximately 85 million PLN. Nearly half of this sum came from auction participants and Polish entrepreneurs, while the other half was contributed by Omenaa Mensah and Rafał Brzoska from their own funds, continuing the tradition of doubling the amount raised by the TOP CHARITY community.

For many years, TOP CHARITY has consistently demonstrated that art, philanthropy, and education can serve not only as tools for helping others, but also as a language for international dialogue. This idea is explored in this year’s TOP CHARITY Art pre-auction exhibition, on view from April through June 16 at the historic Orangery of the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów, and traditionally free to visitors.

Over the course of four editions, the TOP CHARITY Art exhibition has already been seen by more than 220,000 people. This year’s exhibition brings together 20th-century legends and leaders of today’s auction rankings, weaving a narrative about the power of women, memory, identity, and intercontinental connections. This dialogue brings together, among others, works by Ewa Juszkiewicz, one of the most important and highest-selling contemporary Polish artists; monumental works by Magdalena Abakanowicz, an icon of world art and a revolutionary in her approach to textiles, whose significance is symbolically underscored by the Polish Senate’s designation of 2027 as the Year of Magdalena Abakanowicz; as well as the work of Ibrahim Mahama, named by “ArtReview” as the world’s most influential artist in 2025, and Amoako Boafo, one of the greatest phenomena of contemporary African art. The exhibition is complemented by works by international and Polish artists, including Philip and Charlotte Colbert, Paweł Althamer, and Pola Dwurnik, creating a multidimensional space where art, cultures, and sensibilities converge.

The fifth edition of TOP CHARITY, one of the most effective philanthropic initiatives in Europe, concluded with spectacular results. In less than ninety minutes during the gala, over 85 million zlotys (approx. 20 million euros) were raised. However, the final amount is still being tallied. This is the highest result in the initiative’s history and, at the same time, proof that the modern model of philanthropy being developed in Poland is gaining real influence and international significance. A unique ecosystem of collaboration between business, the arts, and social activism has emerged around TOP CHARITY, developed right here, in the heart of Europe.

The highest price among the works of art was achieved by Krzysztof Renes’s monumental sculpture “He, Venus, Youth” from the “Universale” series, which sold for approximately 1.8 million PLN (420,000 euros). The artist has been exploring the relationship between two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms for years, and his minimalist, monumental works have been presented at events such as NordArt - one of the largest contemporary art exhibitions in Europe. The work sold for more than four times the upper limit of its estimate of over 400,000 PLN (100,000 EUR).

The second most expensive work sold at auction was Ewa Juszkiewicz’s painting “Grove,” which went for approximately 1.7 million PLN (400,000 euros). The artist, represented by the Gagosian and Almine Rech galleries, is today among the world’s leading figures in contemporary painting. Her work involves deconstructing historical portraits of women and restoring their lost agency. In “Grove,” presented at the exhibition, the female face is replaced by lush vegetation, which simultaneously conceals and defines the character’s identity.

Amoako Boafo also attracted enormous interest from collectors, with his painting “Laced Fingers” fetching a price of approximately 1.5 million PLN (about 350,000 euros). Considered the highest-selling contemporary African artist, Boafo gained international recognition thanks to his distinctive technique of painting with his fingertips. His portraits of Black figures have become a symbol of the new voice of contemporary African art and are featured in the collections of the Guggenheim, LACMA, and the Albertina.

Charlotte Colbert’s work fetched approximately 1.3 million PLN (300,000 euros). The sculpture “Out with Lanterns” was inspired by the words of Emily Dickinson and explored the search for one’s own identity through a fairy-tale narrative. The British artist, sometimes referred to as “the child of Salvador Dalí and Emily Dickinson,” is today one of the most intriguing figures on the European multimedia art scene. Nigerian artist Modupeola Fadugba, winner of the 2025 Norval Sovereign African Art Prize, among other awards, achieved one of the best results at this year’s auction —her painting “The Kiss” from the “Ojude Oba” series was sold for approximately 670,000 PLN (approx. 160,000 EUR) with an estimate of approximately 210,000 PLN (approx. 50,000–80,000 EUR). Referencing the famous Nigerian festival, the work depicts the meeting of two horses, telling a story of community, memory, and human relationships. The result, more than double the upper limit of the estimate, confirms the artist’s growing standing on the international art market.

A sculpture by Constantin Brâncuși, one of the most outstanding pioneers of the 20th-century avant-garde, fetched approximately 1.3 million PLN (300,000 euros) at the TOP CHARITY Gala for the piece “Mademoiselle Pogany”—ten times its high estimate. It is one of the most recognizable works in the Romanian master’s oeuvre, depicting Margit Pogany and considered a symbol of modern sculpture based on a radical simplification of form and a search for the spiritual essence of the figure. The presence of a work by Brâncuși, whose pieces are now in the collections of MoMA, the Centre Pompidou, and the Tate Modern, was one of the strongest historical highlights of this year’s auction.

Among the top results was also Ibrahim Mahama, whose “HYMNS FOR THE REBEL SOUL” sold for approximately 1.2 million PLN (280,000 euros). Mahama, named by “ArtReview” magazine as the world’s most influential artist of 2025, has been exploring the themes of memory, trade, and Africa’s postcolonial history for years. His works have been exhibited at venues including the Venice Biennale, documenta, and London’s Barbican Centre. The work on display in Wilanów was created from fragments of Ghanaian wax-print fabrics that the artist collected over the years at markets in Ghana.

Magdalena Abakanowicz’s sculpture “Bird II” sold for over 1 million PLN (240,000 euros). This work belongs to the artist’s late period, in which the motif of the bird serves as a metaphor for the tension between freedom and constraint. Abakanowicz’s presence at the exhibition held special symbolic significance in light of the Polish Senate’s designation of 2027 as the Year of Magdalena Abakanowicz. Magdalena Abakanowicz’s sculpture “Bird II” sold for over 1 million PLN (240,000 euros). This work is from the artist’s final creative period, in which the motif of the bird becomes a metaphor for the tension between freedom and constraint. Abakanowicz’s presence at the exhibition held a special symbolic significance in light of the Polish Senate’s designation of 2027 as the Year of Magdalena Abakanowicz.

Philip Colbert turned out to be one of the auction’s biggest surprises. His large-format painting “Flower III (with Dots)” sold for over 900,000 PLN (220,000 euros), despite an estimate of approximately 300,000 PLN (about 70,000 euros). The artist, often referred to as “Andy Warhol’s godson,” created a contemporary tribute to the famous “Flowers” series, blending the history of Pop Art with the digital world of his original universe, Lobsteropolis.

Works by Pola Dwurnik, Wojciech Ireneusz Sobczyk, and Modupeola Fadugba fetched approximately 680,000 PLN (160,000 euros). Sobczyk’s result was particularly spectacular; his porcelain “Tree” from a series inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” exceeded its estimate by nearly five times. In turn, Nigerian artist Modupeola Fadugba, in her painting “The Kiss,” combined the themes of memory and community with the reflection on social relations and cultural identity characteristic of her work.

The auction concluded with works by Karolina Żądło and Paweł Althamer, which sold for over 400,000 PLN (100,000 euros each). For Karolina Żądło, a representative of the youngest generation of artists invited to TOP CHARITY, this result was more than double the upper limit of the estimate. Paweł Althamer’s sculpture “Erico,” meanwhile, was a moving tribute to the young Kenyan social activist Eric Shieni, who died tragically during protests in Nairobi.

This year’s auction confirmed TOP CHARITY Art’s growing prominence on the international art scene. The event brought together artists represented by galleries such as White Cube, Gagosian, and Almine Rech, alongside contemporary legends and the most promising names of the younger generation. It is thanks to this combination that art has once again become a real tool for social change, generating funds to support educational, social, and cultural projects carried out by the foundations that make up TOP CHARITY.

Justyna Komorek

Head of Founders Communications

+48 534 108 802

Joanna Rożniakowska

PR Advisor Omiimage

+48 887 411 711

TOP CHARITY is the flagship philanthropic initiative of Omena Mensah and Rafał Brzoska, bringing together the worlds of art, business, and social activism. Since 2022, through auctions of unique works of art and experiences, the organization has raised nearly 150 million PLN for charitable causes, supporting projects in Poland, Africa, and Europe. Its international standing is confirmed by, among other accolades, three Gold Awards and a Bronze Award at the Eventex Awards 2026, the iLuxury Awards 2026 prize in the Best Luxury Services – Luxury Charity Initiative category, and the title of Best Pavilion for the OmenaArt Foundation project “Redefining. Polish-Ghanaian Textile Narratives” at the Malta Biennale 2026.

TOP CHARITY ChangeMAKERS is a prestigious forum for change leaders that brings together representatives from the worlds of business, diplomacy, and culture. The event, which has been held since 2023, serves as a platform for exchanging ideas and creating synergies in areas such as deregulation, security, education, and the role of art in social development. In 2024, the guest of honor was Phyllis Newhouse, a U.S. Army veteran who channeled her military experience into combating cyber threats as the founder of Xtreme Solutions — a company specializing in cybersecurity and defense technologies—and in 2025, Dr. Jill Biden, former First Lady of the United States, who emphasized the importance of global cooperation for equality.

The TOP CHARITY Gala is a prestigious charity event held annually as part of the TOP CHARITY initiative. The auction brings together artists, donors, and art lovers, who have the opportunity to bid on unique works of art and other exclusive items. Proceeds from the auction are donated to charity, supporting aid projects in Poland and around the world. It is not only a platform for art and culture, but also a space for building community and collaboration for the common good. The TOP CHARITY Auction is proof that art can be a powerful tool for social change.

The initiative is distinguished by the Philanthropy Consortium—Europe’s first platform for collaboration among nongovernmental organizations, including the Obama Foundation, the Rafa Nadal Foundation, the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, and Doctors Without Borders.Behind the project are Omenaa Mensah—founder of the Omenaa Foundation and an icon of modern philanthropy—and Rafał Brzoska, CEO of InPost and founder of SprawdzaMY, who combine innovation with real social impact.

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