Red October factory helped the victims of the Krymsk flood

Moscow Art Auction,"Help Krymsk" conducted by The Red October art gallery in Moscow. Source: www.ridus.ru 

On a recent July day, it was raining torrents in Moscow. It was as if the apocalyptic downpour was sent to remind the capital of a small town in southern Russia in need: Krymsk.

Barely a week ago, a huge flood washed through the town, leaving many homeless. Throughout the country humanitarian aid, food packages, clothes and medicine have been collected by volunteers and sent to Krymsk. Now Moscow artists and gallery owners have joined forces to help.

At the Red October chocolate factory art space in the center of the capital, large blue-and-white “Help Krymsk” signs are now hanging along the brick walls.  They are left over from a charity auction held by the Red October Gallery and the Regina Gallery. Nearly 50 works by renowned artists such as Oleg Kulik, Semyon Faibisovich and Ilya Kabakov, as well as young talents such as Arseny Zhilyaev, Misha Most and Oleg Dou to raise money for the Krymsk victims.

Buy Art for a Good Cause

Nearly 20 collectors or their representatives who came to the auction started the bids off in thousands of euros. By the end of the event, the gallery had collected more than $185,000. One of the organizers of the auction, gallery owner Vladimir Ovcharenko, said the event was organized in just four days. "The artists with whom we spoke were ready to make their works available in no time, and many of them came on their own initiative with the desire to participate." Ilya Kabakov called them on the day of the auction from New York willing to contribute although \ he had not been asked to participate. On the day of the auction, the only picture of his they could offer was one of his miniatures. Nevertheless, that one was sold as well.

Collector and art historian Irina Duksina was delighted by the idea of this charity auction. "It is superb that we could do a really good deed here today, and also have the opportunity to buy really good art." One example was a sculpture called "Hero" by the young artist Misha Most. "I just finished it last night and immediately brought it to this gallery. I myself, as well as all the other participants, didn't have to think at all about whether we would participate or not. What has happened in Krymsk has shocked us all. It is everybody's issue. And if you can help somehow,

It has not yet been decided how and when exactly the proceeds will ultimately be used. "We have several ideas," said Ovcharenko, "And one of them is to bring the children out of the hell of that city and to pay for their vacations." Artists, collectors and other interested parties can follow what will happen to the more than $185,000 on the Facebook page of the Red October Gallery.

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