FERMANAGH art gallery Hambly and Hambly is holding an online global auction of world class art works by Irish and Ukrainian artists this weekend, from April 1st – 5th, in aid of the Ukrainian refugee crisis.
More than 40 Irish and Ukrainian artists, including several of international acclaim such as Philip Flanagan, Laurence O’Toole, Maria Kulikovska, Michelle Boyle and Eamon Colman, have come together with the intention of contributing something globally meaningful through art. All monies raised will go directly to the Unicef appeal in aid of Ukrainian refugees.
Award winning Enniskillen actor, author and patron of the gallery, Ciaran McMenamin, will open the auction at midday on Friday April 1st. The online event will be preceded by a filmed discussion between Irish, Northern Irish and Ukrainian arts and culture representatives.
‘Art Auction Ukraine’ was initiated by Hambly & Hambly in partnership with Limerick based international artist and curator, Maurice Quillinan and Northern Irish artist, Diane Henshaw. Quillinan, a 2022 RHA annual exhibition invited artist was due to launch an exhibition of work by 10 Irish artists in Kiev in September 2022 with the assistance of the Therese Healy and Mariia Zaiets, Dept of Culture, Irish Embassy, Ukraine, and renowned Ukrainian artist Maria Kulikovska, who is now actively practicing in Austria, while Mariia Zaiets fled to Poland, then Ljubljana and is still working for the Irish Embassy there.
‘Art Auction Ukraine’ co-curator Diane Henshaw and donating artist Eamon Colman were both due to present work as part of the planned Kiev exhibition. The donating artists all say they feel strongly about the need to support the Ukrainian people through art at this time of crisis following the invasion of their country.
More than 40 high end artworks have been donated to the auction with sale prices starting at considerably lower rates (20%) than their original value. This presents an exciting opportunity to purchase original world-class Irish and Ukrainian 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 free, while friend and patron of the gallery, Lord Belmore, John Lowry-Corry, has similarly donated 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 are curating and hosting the auction entirely free of charge and 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’ goes live on Friday April 1st at 12:00 with bidding open until 24:00 on April 5th. To register for the event visit Hambly & Hambly online.
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