Art on a Postcard co-founder Gemma Peppe and the brains behind the iconic Ibiza Rocks, Dawn Hindle have been friends for years. Their consequent collaborations brought together the feel good fun of Ibiza and philanthropy. Known for the interesting crowds including Boy George, Sadie Frost and Jodie Harsh, their events raised awareness for Hep C in innovative ways such as a Dollar note that shed light on the fact that sharing notes to take drugs is a way of contracting the virus. This summer Gemma and Dawn launched their latest project, the Ben Eine at Ibiza Rocks competition and the pair have delivered their fun and innovative approach to philanthropy once more. We spoke to them about their projects over the years, and asked why bring street artist Ben Eine to the white isle.
How did you and Dawn first meet?
G: There’s a lot of history between our families, music and all sorts of life’s twists and turns but Dawn & I began working together when she ran Manumission with her husband. Our first big splash was when we produced the infamous Manumission dollar. We were also there at the start of Ibiza Rocks with Carl Barat and the Dirty Pretty Things who all came out to DJ. We’ve done untold fundraising Sunday lunches at Pikes. Boy George hosted a dinner to highlight the problems of coinfection and we screened Lance Loud – A Death in The American Family. Plus we held World Hepatitis Day dinner hosted by Chas Smash from Madness all at Pikes. Last year Dawn caught sight of our Art on a Plectrum campaign and thought how well suited it would be to Ibiza Rocks.
12 years on and we now have the Ben Eine Street Art Competition. Why bring London Street Art to Ibiza Rocks?
D: I have always loved and respected all the work Gemma has done with the Hep C trust and the various artists she has supporting her and working closely with. Art on a postcard is ingenious idea. It was looking at this and her other projects that got us thinking of the right artist she could get to come out to Ibiza to support an art inciative and do something different on the Ibiza landscape.our UK office is in Shorditch London and I had seen Bens graphics on walls there. I love the giant wording and statements, it rocks. Just like Ibiza rocks it jars but in a very positive way. It stands out from the crowd and really adds to the hotel aesthetic.
Gemma and Dawn at Ibiza Rocks, plotting the next project perhaps?
For a brief history lesson, how did the transition from Manumission to Ibiza Rocks come about?
D: Manumision ran for 15 years from 1994 until we decided it was time to move on and do something different. Musically we became excited by live music something that was definitely missing in Ibiza. We thought end manumission on a high as a legendary club night for thousands and start a new cool inimate gig event that’s brings a new audience to the island the rest is history.ibiza rocks has transformed into the home of the pool party. At manumission we threw parties and did the legendary hep c trust notes and now it has transformed into art and ben eines prints and plectrums.
Gemma, the dollar note you and Dawn produced is now a collector’s piece. Could you let our readers know a little bit about what that project was?
G: The first campaign I worked on for The Hepatitis C Trust was called ‘What Not to Share’ and it hinged on the surprising fact that you can catch hepatitis C from sharing notes to take drugs. The dollars had ‘Share the love and not the disease’ written on them. They were given out to clubbers and the deal was that no was telling anyone what to do. We were saying do what you will but be safe. The notes were playful and worked amazingly as a piece of harm reduction. Even now 12 years on people remember that campaign and abide by it.
Ben Eine tags Ibiza Rocks
Gemma, from Boy George dinner parties to film screenings at Pikes Hotel Ibiza, your events were attended by the most colourful crowds from across the world. What was it about your events that drew in such an interesting bunch?
G: Whenever I do parties or events I always tag them onto either another organisation or I ask a celebrity to front them. I feel that clever fundraising doesn’t ever shove the charity down people’s throats but is all about an event that people want to go to or a product people want. Dawn is an innovator who has been at the centre of the most influential Ibiza movements of the last 2 decades. In among the super clubs and concierge Pikes retains the true spirit of Ibiza. If there’s anyone to work with in Ibiza it is Dawn.
Gemma speaks to the crowd at Pikes
Dawn, there’s obviously a lot of history there between yourself and Gemma and the Hepatitiis C Trust, why the ongoing support for this charity?
I have learnt a lot from Gemma she is very passionate and committed to everything she does with the charity. The work is always pushing boundaries and forwarded thinking and is a wonderful cause of which I know a number of people who have suffered and still do often from a life style of living in the party world, I think if you have access to influence and inform people of the great work that a charity is doing and your audience can benefit from the information then you should get involved. Hopefully we can help people by both raising money for the charity and informing our audience and with Gemma steering the helm have fun and intelligent conversation at the same time. Its all about making the right connections and spreading the word.
You can enter the Ben Eine competition here.
Interview conducted by Rosa Torr.