A Seattle artist is hoping somebody might have spotted an opportunistic art thief on Capitol Hill. Missing is a 5-foot by 3-foot oil self-portrait that had been hanging in the lobby of an E Union co-op building until the night of Saturday, May 28th. Here are details on the rip-off and a plea for any information on the incident from tipper Alex:
The weekend of Saturday, May 28, a large oil painting by artist Sara Zin was stolen from the lobby of the Union Art Co-op at 1100 E Union St.
With the painting measuring 5 feet x 3 feet, walking off with it seems like no small feat, leaving the artist and Co-op residents at a loss to explain the incident. The Co-op Board of Directors believes that a resident propped open the building’s locked front door sometime between 11:30 p.m. and 4 a.m. on the night of May 28th, giving a passerby the opportunity to take the paining. In 20 years of art shows at the Union Art Co-op, this is the first theft.
Artists hang their work at the Union Art Co-op at their own risk, so the loss of the painting, valued at $3000, is a major loss for Zin. Further, the stolen painting, titled “Transition,” is an intimate self-portrait of Zin, making the theft feel all the more violating.
A police report has been filed with the Seattle Police Department, and anyone with information about the theft should contact the SPD.
Sara Zin is a 26-year-old former Seattle resident represented by Seattle’s Pacini Lubel Gallery. She currently lives and works in New York City. Her show at the Union Arts Coop will continue until the end of June and appointments can be made to see her work by emailing her at [email protected]. Her other work can be seen at http://www.zingallery.com/.
…another giant painting – hanging up high in the Comet back in 1979. After an extensive color Xerox poster campaign, I discovered one of the bartenders had put it out with the garbage because he didn’t like it. A low blow, right to the gut. Sarah, I hope you recover your painting.