This Land: An Unprecedented Archive Collection Of Works by Ralph Hotere
By Sophie Ullin, on 16-Sep-2009
Inside every art auctioneer is a secret wish that one fine day they might uncover a caché of unseen art treasures...and if they dared to dream a bit more they might unleash a fervent hope that the works were by a truly significant artist. Art + Object seem to have been granted the wish that “… we may dream good dreams again” (as O’Africa, attests) (Lot 58) in their forthcoming sale. On 24 September they will offer 60 hitherto untouched and “hidden” works by one of New Zealand’s most important and respected living artists, Ralph Hotere.
Hotere hand selected and gifted the collection of works in 1968 to his friend and colleague Annette Ferguson, an Art Advisor. Ferguson stored them for four decades, sheltering them from the potentially damaging effects of light, heat and dust, so the works look as they were painted yesterday –a highly appealing quality in a tentative art market that places a premium on freshness in all its forms.
The collection features 58 works on paper and two canvasses belonging to his formulative period (1957-68) and while acting as a cornerstone for his later work, as well as showcasing Hotere’s breadth of range, most are atypical.
The enticing estimates acknowledge this aspect in a sale with a total low estimate of NZ$440,000
A highlight is a rare ink and wash diptych titled, Raumati 1968 (Lot 25 ) estimated at NZ$22,000 – 28,000. The distinct New Zealand modernist language with its ode to black can be readily seen in Hotere’s lyrical depiction of the hills of Maungakotukutuku, reminiscent also of that other New Zealand Master, Colin McCahon.
Amongst the most significant lots to be offered is the aforementioned O’Africa 1966 with an estimate of NZ$40,000-60,000. It is one of the sale’s two collaborative works with renowned poet Hone Tuwhare and one could speculate that due to its more recognizable style, there is a chance this lot might exceed its modest estimate.
Greater scholarly insight into the cover piece, Woman, (Lot 26 ) may possibly reward the intrepid individual which is estimated at NZ$12-18,000. It is one of the few figure drawings from the politically charged Algérie series of 1962 (which primarily consisted of paintings) and it does not conform to Hotere’s typical single figure composition or drawings of Lovers.
It will be interesting to observe the market response to the series of thirteen Silent Protest works (Lots 41-53) with estimates ranging $4,500 – 16,000. Many of these works were originally catalogued as screenprints but have since been found to be paintings. Furthermore, very few have ever surfaced on the secondary market and since the uncovering of this collection the premise for the Silent Protest series has become more clearly defined, revealing it to be focused on the Vietnam war. The re-appraisal has cast the series in sharper light, imbuing it with greater.historical and cultural weight.
This fascinating and unusual collection of little known work will surely see institutions scurrying to fill their gaps in the artist’s oeuvre along with dedicated Hotere collectors keen to acquire early works in mint condition.
Sale Referenced: THIS LAND: An unprecedented archive collection of works by Ralph Hotere, Art+Object, Auckland, 24/09/2009
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