Ocean Lifeline Presents: Silent Art Auction and Guerrilla Campaign Launch Party for Our Sharks in New York.

New York, New York – September 15, 2011 – Our mission at Ocean Lifeline (OLL) is to spread awareness about the adverse effects humans can have on the oceans.

Join us at The Keeley Gallery on September 15th as we launch OLL’s next initiative on the heels of Fashion Week and Quicksilver Pro New York. Having just completed a campaign in which we projected videos throughout Manhattan, educating the public on the plastic crisis affecting our oceans, on Thursday evening, we will celebrate the launch of our new guerrilla marketing campaign which seeks to curb the distribution and sale of shark fin products.

Founder and spokesperson of Ocean Lifeline, Cynthia Carvajal, was on location filming a documentary on shark finning and the plastic crisis in Hawaii earlier this year. Shortly thereafter, states such as Oregon, Washington and California followed Hawaii’s lead to save our sharks. ”It is the time for New York to propose a bill to stop the sale and distribution of all shark fin products” says Ms. Carvajal. ” There are 41 restaurants in New York that serve shark fin soup and thousands of fins are sold for $80 to $500 each in Chinatown every week.”

Ocean Lifeline’s campaign strategy is to use art as a platform to reach individual consumers, however, to do so by spreading awareness on the adverse health affects of consuming the high levels of toxic methyl-mercury found in our sharks.” We’ve chosen to take an ironic approach on this campaign, by using one human-impact issue on the ocean to promote the resolution of another, because people will listen when it comes to their own health. We hope that this campaign will both help stop shark finning and raise awareness about the balance we are upsetting by contributing to mercury contamination in our oceans.”

Ocean Lifeline’s event at the Keeley Gallery will feature a silent auction of ocean themed works by artists from around the world. Art will be shipped in from places such as Hawaii, California, Colorado, New York, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The group show will include works by artists: Ryan Keeley, Kimyon Huggins, Tasso, Max Nova, Rob Appell, Robena, Caz Haigh, Patrick Muniz, Daniel Feld, Regan Kireilis Helms, Yarden Davis, Jonathan Davis.

AS | Artists Studios joins the art benefit launch for Ocean Lifeline. Founder of AS, Jill Conner has written for magazines such as Whitehot Magazine and is a Contributor to Afterimage, ArtUS, Art Papers and Sculpture. Co-Founder, Megan Garwood of AS | Artists Studios assisted in selecting fine art for the Ocean Lifeline art benefit and is the Assistant Editor to On-Verge and the New York Assistant Editor to Whitehot Magazine.

Music on the night will be provided by DJ Kimyon (No Agenda, NYC), Baryshnikov (Мишка Records) and Holly Nelson on violin. Special performances will be provided throughout the night by Future & Victor of Flambeaux Fire.  In addition to celebrity guests and VIPs who are expected to be in attendance, this event is expected to attract a diverse cross-section of uptown and downtown New York scenes as well as Fashion Week and Quicksilver Pro attendees.

Open bar will be provided by Prairie Organic Vodka and vegan treats by Angel Milk.

The Keeley Gallery, 352 Bowery, NYC,

Thursday, September 15, 7pm-2am