Leading cross border Irish art gallery and culture hub, Hambly and Hambly, is holding a globally accessible online auction of world class fine art works by Irish, Ukrainian, Northern Irish, and Polish artists this weekend in aid of the Ukrainian refugee crisis.
More than 40 artists of international acclaim including Philip Flanagan, Laurence O’Toole, Maria Kulikovska, Michelle Boyle, Ani Mollereau, Anna Hryniewicz, Pawel Kleszczewski and Eamon Colman, have donated work with the aim of contributing something meaningful to the humanitarian support effort through art. All proceeds raised from the sale of the donated artworks will go directly to the Unicef appeal in aid of Ukrainian refugees.
Award winning Irish actor, author and patron of the gallery, Ciaran McMenamin, opened the auction at midday on Friday April 1st. The online was preceded by a filmed discussion between Irish, Northern Irish and Ukrainian arts and culture representatives. The auction will continue until bidding ends at midnight on Tuesday April 5th.
‘Art Auction Ukraine’ was initiated by Hambly & Hambly in partnership with Limerick based internationally acclaimed artist and curator, Maurice Quillinan and Northern Irish artist of critical acclaim, Diane Henshaw. Quillinan, a 2022 RHA annual exhibition invited artist, has strong links to Ukraine and was due to launch an exhibition of work by 10 Irish artists in Kyiv from June to September 2022. The exhibition was part of an Ireland-Ukraine cultural project organised with the assistance of Ireland’s first resident Ambassador to Ukraine, Thérèse Healy, and Ukrainian, Mariia Zaiets, Dept of Culture, Irish Embassy, Ukraine.
‘Art Auction Ukraine’ co-curator Diane Henshaw and fellow donating artist Eamon Colman were both due to present work in the Kyvi exhibition.
Internationally renowned Ukrainian artist Maria Kulikovska, who had been in discussion with the Irish artists about the Kyiv project, has also donated work to the fundraising auction. She recently fled Ukraine with her 6-month old baby however her husband, Uleg Vinnichenko, with whom she created GARAGE33 – a gallery-shelter from conflict for contemporary art(ists) in Kyiv, remains in Ukraine and is unable to leave.
More than 40 high end artworks have been donated to this weekend’s auction with sale prices starting at considerably lower rates (20%) than their original value. The event presents an exciting opportunity to purchase original world-class artworks at unusual prices while supporting a humanitarian cause.
Irish artist Philip Flanagan has donated an original abstract piece, Sand Dune, Lunniagh, Donegal (image attached) to the appeal entirely for free, while friend and patron of the Hambly & Hambly gallery, Lord Belmore, John Lowry-Corry, has gifted a unique collection of books ‘CatalogueRaisonné of Oil Paintings: William Scott’ to the sale. Known for still-life and abstract painting, William Scott CBE RA has huge significance in Irish art history and is the most internationally celebrated of 20th-century Ulster painters. His early life was the subject of the film Every Picture. Quillinan himself has donated an oil painting,’Burren Notebook’ (image attached).
Hambly & Hambly is curating and hosting the auction entirely free of charge in an effort to support both refugees and contributing artists. A minimum of 50% of the sale price of each art work will be donated directly to the Unicef Ukrainian refugee appeal.
‘Art Auction Ukraine’ went live at midday on Friday April 1st with bidding open until midnight on April 5th. To register for the event visit Hambly & Hambly online.
