Estonian artists are banding together and donating 124 artworks for a charity auction to raise emergency funds following a bank scam that defrauded the Estonian Artists’ Association (EKL) of nearly €700,000 (about $816,400), reports local media outlet ERR News. Artworks from the association’s own collection, which include pieces by established Estonian artists, will also be added to the auction taking place from October 8—10 at ARS Art City, preceded by an exhibition opening on September 18.
On May 15, the EKL learned that scammers, acting through their chief accountant, defrauded their Swedbank and SEB bank accounts of nearly $800,000 in government subsidies via an elaborate scheme disguised as salary payments. The funding had been earmarked for artist salaries, as well as operational support for galleries, among others.
The upcomigng sale aims to partially alleviate the financial loss incurred by one of Estonia’s largest artist associations, numbering nearly 1,000 members and 18 “sub-associations,” though estimated prices were not available at the time of writing. The EKL did not respond to a request for comment.
Works from the EKL’s collection were selected by an expert commission and are meant to present a broad spectrum of Estonian art and culture today. They include pieces by Jüri Arrak, Enn Põldroos, Tiit Pääsuke, Leonhard Lapin, Jüri Kask, Olev Subbi and Mari Kurismaa, among others.
Importantly, a clause requires that all sold artworks be made available for public exhibition in the future, so that they “will not disappear from public view,” EKL vice president Tüüne‑Kristin Vaikla told EER News. “This way, Estonia’s art heritage remains accessible even after the sale,” she added.
“Difficulties have a unifying effect,” observed local artist Jaanus Samma, speaking to reporters about his work coordinating the donations. “Artists bring in works, ask how things are going, wish success and offer help. Preparing the auction has been very exciting; I have met many artists, visited studios and felt a sense of community.”
Participating artists will receive 15 percent of proceeds from the sale of their donated works, and they will be paid 5 percent for any secondary sales from the EKL collection. Meanwhile, the EKL is currently preparing an online description of the artworks up for auction, including estimated prices.
EKL representatives also insisted that it is not selling its entire collection, nor will it consider parting at this time with certain works that specifically address the life of the artist who made them, according to ERR News.
