Bethel Finance: Promoting Art and Israel

Bethel Finance news:
Givi Topchishvili feels that it is time to combine philanthropy, contemporary art and the glitzy art fair scene.

Mr. Topchishvili, 49 years old, is president and chief executive of New York-based marketing firm, Global Advertising Strategies. On Friday at Art Palm Beach, his Global Arts Group initiative—a new philanthropic project which represents artists through his company—will release a new work by artist David Datuna. The piece, entitled "Israel Beyond a Dream," is intended to reflect Israel's past, present and future and features depictions of the Israeli flag.

Global Arts Group will donate 25%, the representation fee, of the sale of this work to the Jewish Agency for Israel, an 83-year-old organization that fosters a link between Jewish people around the world and Israel, and to the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County.

Art inspires Mr. Topchishvili and he is a collector of contemporary paintings, primarily European and Russian artists. He says that he wanted to create a charitable event around art that utilizes some of the same brand-development efforts—social media, targeting specific niche markets, for example—that he employs in his day to day business creating campaigns for global companies.

The Jewish Agency for Israel is known for its work to facilitate the assisted relocation of millions of Jews to Israel. At its 22 absorption campuses, 16 of which cater to immigrants from Ethiopia, the organization provides temporary housing, Jewish education and Hebrew language immersion, among other programs.

Mr. Topchishvili says that he met Mr. Datuna about a year ago and he was impressed with his pieces, which have included images of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the American flag and the United Kingdom's Union Jack flag. The Global Arts Group worked with Mr. Datuna to bring his "Steve Jobs-Ayn Rand" portrait to SCOPE Miami, an art show, late last year. Getting the artist to agree to the "branding" partnership with the two charities was "easy," says Mr. Topchishvili.