HCM CITY — Dozens of artists nationwide have donated artworks to an online auction, with all the proceeds being used to equip the HCM City’s Field Hospital No 6 with essential medical supplies.

The first auction took place from September 2 to 4 and sold eight paintings for a total of VNĐ106 million (US$4,600).

‘Portrait of Thiếu Anh’ by Hoàng Nam Việt was sold during the first auction for VNĐ40 million (US1,700).

Initiated by Việt Phạm, co-founder of Artcific, an online art platform to help artists meet art-lovers, the impromptu event has connected more than 30 artists in Việt Nam and abroad to join, regardless of social distancing and differences in geographical locations, materials and styles.

“They have proved that art can always find a way to reply beautifully to real-world problems," Việt said.

According to art manager of GocCreation Lê Tuấn Ry, coordinating partner of the auction, each artwork is a story about the mental body not missing out on emotional challenges, even during the hardest moments. 

Due to social distancing and time constraints, the organising board and the artists cannot take good quality pictures of all the artworks. Instead, most of the photos used are from the artists’ archives, or were taken shortly after the project started.

“The current pandemic caused some artworks to be priced very reasonably and does not reflect their normal market price. In each posted artwork, besides the price and basic information, audiences can click to read more personal stories behind the paintings and messages from the artists,” Việt said.

The second auction is taking place on the Artcific fanpage until September 7.

This session presents artworks by 17 artists, including by Nguyễn Ngọc Liêm, Nguyễn Trần Trung Tín, Florian Sông Nguyễn, Phương Jacquell, Lâm Sơn Thân, Phạm Khắc Thắng, Đinh Thanh Hải, Vũ Tuấn Việt and Chú Môi.

‘Petrus: Lá Phổi và Bộ Xương’ (Petrus: The Lung and Skeleton) by Nguyễn Trần Trung Tín is on sale at the second auction. — Photos courtesy of Artcific

Bidders can leave their public comments under the artwork they wish to purchase.

The third section will be held from September 8 to 10.

Anyone who wish to join the auctions can visit the Artcific Facebook page.

Over the past few months since the start of the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Việt Nam, fine arts artists have joined to fight the pandemic by organizing online fundraising exhibitions.

In June, the Bụi Fine Arts Centre conducted an art auction featuring 20 paintings with the proceeds donated to healthcare staff at the HCM City Hospital of Tropical Diseases.

At the end of August, nearly 100 artists including famous ones such as Lưu Công Nhân, Thành Chương and Đỗ Trung Quân participated in a painting auction to raise funds for hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.

Seventy paintings were sold for a total of VNĐ1 billion, which was used to buy hospital beds, medical equipment, machinery and medicine for the No. 5 COVID-19 field hospital at Thuận Kiều Plaza in District 5. — VNS