FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alexander Petrucelli – Kahn Media
(t) 818-881-5246 x128 (e) APetrucelli@kahnmedia.com
Contact: Deb Pollack, founder Drive Toward a Cure
(t) 805.320.9248 (e) deb@drivetowardacure.org
BRING A TRAILER HOSTS AUCTION FOR SIX ORIGINAL NICOLAS HUNZIKER PAINTINGS TO BENEFIT DRIVE TOWARD A CURE
All proceeds from the original acrylic-on-canvas works by the world-renowned artist will go to support Parkinson’s disease research and patient care
Commissioned by Bring a Trailer, these six original acrylic on canvas paintings were created as one collection by automotive fine artist Nicolas Hunziker in 2023, and will be auctioned May 10-17, with all proceeds to benefit non-profit foundation Drive Toward a Cure®. The no-reserve auction will be benefitting Parkinson’s disease and can be viewed at www.bringatrailer.com/listing/six-piece-collection-of-artwork
World-renowned automotive fine artist Nicolas Hunziker has created six all-new high-contrast paintings to support a brand new limited-edition Bring a Trailer apparel t-shirt line, all supporting non-profit foundation Drive Toward a Cure®. The entire collection of 24×24-inch acrylic-on-canvas creations are the highlight of a no-reserve auction benefitting Parkinson’s disease and can be viewed at www.bringatrailer.com/listing/six-piece-collection-of-artwork
The “Boss” painting showcases the Ford Mustang Boss 302, representing one piece of an all-new six painting collection by Nicolas Hunziker currently supporting non-profit foundation Drive Toward a Cure on the Bring a Trailer online auction platform – the artwork of each painting is additionally available within a new t-shirt apparel line for Bring a Trailer and can be purchased through the online auction’s Gear Store. All profits for the apparel line will additionally be donated to Drive Toward a Cure.
All six 24”x24” paintings are signed and dated by world-renowned automotive fine artist Nicolas Hunziker and each is accompanied by a “Certificate of Origin” detailing specifications and colors for each painting. The full collection is live on Bring a Trailer www.bringatrailer.com/listing/six-piece-collection-of-artwork and features a Lancia Delta Integrale Evoluzione, a Chevrolet K5 Blazer, a 1967 Porsche 911S, a Datsun 240Z, a BMW E30 M3 Evo, and a Ford Mustang Boss 302.
Each of the six pieces of the Hunziker painting collection measures 24″ tall by 24″ wide and is rendered in acrylic paint over canvas that is secured to a wooden frame. All can be viewed live on Bring a Trailer at https://bringatrailer.com/listing/six-piece-collection-of-artwork/ – auction will remain live through May 17th.
Hunziker was first recognized for supporting non-profit Drive Toward a Cure in 2019, after teaming with BRM Chronographes and hand-painting the dial of a one-of-one timepiece honoring the original Bullitt Mustang’s 50th anniversary, eventually raising $85,000 for Parkinson’s disease. www.drivetowardacure.org/bullitt
Nicolas Hunziker (left) and Mike Brewer (center), host of Wheeler Dealer, joined original Bullitt owner Sean Kiernan (2nd from left) and Deb Pollack (right) founder of Drive Toward a Cure to announce the Bullitt 50 Chronograph winner at the 2019 Grand National Roadster Show, with all proceeds benefitting Parkinson’s Disease.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (May 10, 2023) – Automotive auction platform and enthusiast community Bring a Trailer (BaT) announces a charity auction for a collection of six original paintings from world-renowned automotive fine artist Nicolas Hunziker. The entire sale price, including the 5% BaT buyer’s fee, will be donated to Drive Toward a Cure, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds and awareness to support those with Parkinson’s disease by championing research while emphasizing patient care and expanding messaging through the automotive community at large.
All six paintings were created this spring in Hunziker’s Southern California studio. Each 24×24-inch acrylic-on-canvas creation features a popular OEM such as Porsche, Lancia, Ford, or BMW in Hunziker’s signature style: high-contrast with the bold use of background color and the inclusion of typography and dynamic car angles makes his paintings easy to spot. The works include “K5,” “BOSS,” “evoluzione,” “Der Kurvenkünstler” (German for “corner artist”), “Quer is mehr” (a German phrase that translates to ” sideways is better”), and “Fairlady Z,” the official name of the Datsun 240Z in Japan. To view Hunziker’s behind-the-scenes creative process, click here.
“These small-scale pieces are quite unique, as my current workload is 100% commissioned work that is usually measured in feet, not inches,” said Nicolas Hunziker. “I am grateful for the opportunity to support Drive Toward a Cure’s mission, and my hope is these pieces will be enjoyed by an enthusiast or collector for many years to come.”
In tandem with the auction, each painting will be captured on a limited-edition T-shirt available on BaT’s online Gear Store. The shirts mark Hunziker’s first new merchandise designs since 2019. Profits collected will be donated to Drive Toward a Cure.
This auction reunites BaT, Hunziker and Drive Toward a Cure following their last collaboration in January of this year. Four exclusive automotive-themed experiences, including a tour of Hunziker’s studio, a 40×26-inch giclee print that reproduced Hunziker’s painting of the Le Mans-winning 1995 McLaren F1 GTR, and a pair of McQueen-branded driving shoes by Hunziker were auctioned and raised $30,000 for Drive Toward a Cure’s Special Assistance Fund.
“Nicolas’ work is loved by motorsports and car fans the world over, and we are honored to be the beneficiary of this set of very special pieces,” said Deb Pollack, Drive Toward a Cure founder. “With the support and reach of the Bring a Trailer community, this auction will help us raise awareness and continue the fight to support those living with Parkinson’s disease.”
“We’re excited to work with Nicolas on this endeavor and continue to support Drive Toward a Cure’s mission,” said Randy Nonnenberg, co-founder and president of Bring a Trailer. “The BaT community’s passion for motorsports and memorabilia, combined with its enthusiasm for supporting our charity auction partners make this a perfect fit.”
Originally born in Switzerland, Nicolas Hunziker came to the U.S. on a tennis scholarship at the University of Portland before earning a BFA with honors from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He proceeded to work as an award-winning art and creative director for various ad agencies before turning to painting full time in 2007. In 2011, alongside his wife, Heather, they formed Hunziker Design to produce apparel and merchandise as wearable art for motor racing enthusiasts. The company has created officially licensed paintings and merchandise for Porsche, McLaren, Gulf Racing, Porsche Club of America, MOMO, Steve McQueen, James Hunt and more. Hunziker currently accepts commissions of all sizes, and his art can be seen in museums and displays around the world.
To view the paintings and additional information about the auction, visit Bringatrailer.com. bringatrailer.com/listing/six-piece-collection-of-artwork
About Bring a Trailer:
Bring a Trailer (BaT) is a digital auction platform and enthusiast community founded in 2007 to connect buyers and sellers of classic, collector and enthusiast vehicles. BaT curates vehicles submitted by sellers and helps them craft transparent auction listings that present the vehicles as they are — without superlatives or dubious used-car-lot language. At the end of a successful auction, BaT connects the seller and buyer so they can work together to complete the transaction. BaT’s knowledgeable community of more than 1,000,000 registered users vet each listing so potential buyers can bid with confidence. BaT auctions are listed at a flat rate, starting at just $99 with a sell-through rate of 83%. Bring a Trailer Shipping is the company’s fully integrated vehicle transport service, available for both BaT auction listings and private vehicles in the contiguous 48 U.S. states. For more information, visit www.bringatrailer.com.
About Drive Toward a Cure:
Drive Toward a Cure raises funds and awareness for Parkinson’s Disease research AND patient care. Inspired by the camaraderie found within the automotive culture, the organization’s mission benefits equally from both enthusiast communities and industry professionals. Drive Toward a Cure events harness enthusiasm for cars and driving and turn that power into support for ongoing work to improve the lives of those living with Parkinson’s, as well as the research that will hopefully one day lead to a cure. Since 2016, Drive Toward a Cure has raised more than one million dollars to support BOTH research AND patient care.
Drive Toward a Cure is a 501(c)(3) non-profit supporting beneficiaries including The Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Parkinson’s Foundation, and numerous Centers of Excellence for Parkinson’s. For donations, sponsorship and event registration please visit www.drivetowardacure.org.
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