Artists Of Ukraine To Get Proceeds From Art Auction In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Money raised from the auction of a work by Alexandria sculptor Ryan Quinn at Principle Gallery will be sent to The National Union of Artists of Ukraine. The Old Town gallery is auctioning Quinn’s sculpture titled "Zaivy Zaets," or "An Unneeded Hare."

Quinn has been sculpting in bronze since 2018. He learned to sculpt while serving as a military diplomat in Kyiv, Ukraine. His work was accepted into the All-Ukraine Triennial of Sculpture 2020, making him the first American to earn a place in the exhibition.

The National Union of Artists of Ukraine, founded in 1938, is headquartered in Kyiv.

Bidders can register for the silent auction, which will close at 5 p.m. on Sunday. The auction can also be accessed through Principle Gallery's website. Those who register can either bid on the sculpture or donate money to the National Union of Artists of Ukraine.

The dimensions of Zaivy Zaets are 11.5 x 10.5 x 6.5.

The National Union of Artists of Ukraine will receive 100 percent of the proceeds from the auction.

The sculpture, Zaivy Zaets, which translates from Ukrainian as "An Unneeded Hare," was Quinn's first sculpture, created as a learning exercise under his teacher Serhii Brylov, who instructed Quinn to choose an American fairy tale as the sculpture theme.

Quinn selected Brer Rabbit, a storyline where Brer Rabbit is trapped by Brer Fox. He tricks the fox into throwing him into the thorny briar patch. However, the briar patch is where Brer Rabbit was born and raised. He shows his cleverness, resilience and poise in a moment of danger.

"As a country it is smaller and less powerful, but as a nation Ukraine has proven itself to be formidable, with all the same characteristics as Brer Rabbit — resilience, bravery, and a refusal to give up when in the grip of a ruthless foe," Quinn said about the sculpture.

Principle Gallery is at 208 King Street in Old Town Alexandria.