Who are Sophie and Arina?
An Artist Initiative in Support of One Ukrainian Family
2022-2023
"Cranes for Ukraine" (2022) limited edition silk screen (edition of 50) 100% of the proceeds are donated directly to one Ukrainian family.
Denver Night Lights
July 2022
"The People's Projector"
Time-lapse video of the creation of a new paper cut piece by Lauren Iida entitled
"Who are Sophie and Arina?"
The artist's hands create a portrait of two Ukrainian children, projected on the clocktower in downtown Denver
Thank you for your contribution to Sophie and Arina and for believing in the power of art to honor, celebrate, and bring our global community together so that one day we may live in a world where children are not subjected to the atrocities of war.
Sophie (age 4) and Arina (age 7) are currently struggling for survival in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Lauren Iida, Seattle-based visual artist and public artist has started a fund raising campaign for them and their mother who has become a friend of the artist through correspondence.
This piece was originally debuted as a time-lapse "making-of" video projected several hundreds of feet tall onto the Daniels and Fisher clocktower in central Denver during the month of July, 2022 as part of the Denver Theatre District's Denver Night Lights art initiative.
"The artist, Lauren Iida, uses hand-cut paper, paint and ink, to reveal a portrait of two children in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Sisters Sophie (4 years old) and Arina (7 years old) grasp flowers, emanate a golden light, and dream of better days."
They are signed, archival quality 8 x 24 inch prints of the work with free shipping available in the United States. 100% of the proceeds of this campaign will be sent to Sophie and Arina's mother in Ukraine.
A message from Sophie and Arina's mother: "I wish all children as my daughters (Arina is 7 and Sophie is 4 years old) to have happy childhood with possibility to go to school and kindergarten, to visit different sections of dancing, swimming, music, etc. For the moment my children are deprived of the opportunity to go to any section, even to school and kindergarten. Now it became a dream for them. Arina is asking me if we can go home when war ends, Sophie is crying sometimes for her room in Kharkiv, for her toys, I never thought she’ll remember color of her sleeping shirt that we left in Kharkiv or toys she slept with in her bed. At her age of 4 she remember all and when she says: Mom, can we go home, I miss my bed, my Lucy( her doll)”-it makes me cry. Because I don’t know what to say. I never cried so much starting from 24th February,but together with that I want to do all my best to give my kids better future, better life. I try to be part of Good, feeding animals, buying food and medecine for those in need and I do believe to rebuild all ruined life in Kharkiv."
This piece was originally debuted as a time-lapse "making-of" video projected several hundreds of feet tall onto the Daniels and Fisher clocktower in central Denver during the month of July, 2022 as part of the Denver Theatre District's Denver Night Lights art initiative.
"The artist, Lauren Iida, uses hand-cut paper, paint and ink, to reveal a portrait of two children in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Sisters Sophie (4 years old) and Arina (7 years old) grasp flowers, emanate a golden light, and dream of better days."
They are signed, archival quality 8 x 24 inch prints of the work with free shipping available in the United States. 100% of the proceeds of this campaign will be sent to Sophie and Arina's mother in Ukraine.
A message from Sophie and Arina's mother: "I wish all children as my daughters (Arina is 7 and Sophie is 4 years old) to have happy childhood with possibility to go to school and kindergarten, to visit different sections of dancing, swimming, music, etc. For the moment my children are deprived of the opportunity to go to any section, even to school and kindergarten. Now it became a dream for them. Arina is asking me if we can go home when war ends, Sophie is crying sometimes for her room in Kharkiv, for her toys, I never thought she’ll remember color of her sleeping shirt that we left in Kharkiv or toys she slept with in her bed. At her age of 4 she remember all and when she says: Mom, can we go home, I miss my bed, my Lucy( her doll)”-it makes me cry. Because I don’t know what to say. I never cried so much starting from 24th February,but together with that I want to do all my best to give my kids better future, better life. I try to be part of Good, feeding animals, buying food and medecine for those in need and I do believe to rebuild all ruined life in Kharkiv."