Deborra-lee Furness teams up with an artist to auction off a painting for charity

Actress and director Deborra-lee Furness established the non-profit organisation Hopeland, which aims to keep children in families and ‘prevent family separation’.

And her husband, Wolverine star Hugh Jackman, shared some exciting news on Wednesday about their fundraising efforts for the charity.

Hugh, 52, uploaded a video to Instagram of his wife, 64, discussing an artwork called Surprise Ending with contemporary artist Sarah Sze. 

He wrote in the caption: ‘Deb and our dear friend, the acclaimed artist #sarahsze, have joined forces with @christiesinc in an effort to help raise much needed funds for @ourhopeland.’

Hugh explained that the proceeds raised will go towards Hopeland’s goal of creating a world in which every child grows up in a safe and loving family.

‘I’m a proud, proud husband and friend,’ he added in the caption, as he directed interested art collectors to find out more on the Christie’s website. 

According to the auction house, Sarah’s painting could fetch anywhere from $273,000 to $409,500. 

The artwork will go under the hammer on December 3.

Deborra-lee’s fundraising efforts for Hopeland, which she co-founded in 2014, comes after she said that she feels Australia has an ‘anti-adoption culture’.

She told The Daily Telegraph earlier this month that she and Hugh had chosen to adopt their children in the United States because it was ‘easier’. 

Deborra-lee explained she was ‘horrified’ and ‘appalled’ by Australian bureaucracy, and went through the U.S. system instead after moving stateside. 

‘We were not famous over there, we jumped through every hoop and did it all by the books, and it was so much easier,’ she said.

She said that there was ‘systemic dysfunction’ in Australia’s adoption system, which inspired her to launch the charity Adopt Change in 2008.

Hugh and Deborra-lee are based in New York City with their two children, Ava, 15, and Oscar, 20.