Last Night's Sale

Chris Heaphy ($34 218), Fiona Pardington ($25 093), Peter Robinson ($10 265)

Dick Frizzell ($38 780), Terry Stringer ($11 975), Greer Twiss ($8270)
A very good crowd braved the mid-winter Auckland weather last night in what was another strong, if unspectacular, showing from the New Zealand art market. Some results are included above and these again serve to highlight the strength of the New Zealand art market in the low-mid value range. A full list of prices realised will be posted shortly.

Auction Raises $50 000 for HIV Prevention

Picture courtesy NZAFAn auction of works from some of New Zealand's most accomplished artists is thought to have raised more than $50,000 for HIV prevention initiatives.
Among the items that went under the hammer at For The Love of Art was a piece donated from the personal collection of Peter Stichbury.
The auction was hosted by the New Zealand Aids Foundation in conjunction with ART + OBJECT in the Auckland suburb of Freemans Bay on 8 July.
Karen Walker contributed a piece of custom-made jewellery and there were other luxury packages, including one carat diamond earrings from Graham Thomson Antiques and an Eagles Nest luxury retreat in the Bay of Islands.
NZAF National Communications Co-ordinator Dawn O'Connor says For the Love of Art was greater than expected.
"The total proceeds, which will benefit NZAF HIV prevention initiatives, are likely to be more than $50,000," she says.
"We'd like to thank and acknowledge the extremely generous contribution of both the artists and those who gave works from their personal collections, as well as everyone else who donated their time and talent. Without them, For the Love of Art would not have been possible."
Other artists whose work was auctioned were Michael Parekowhai, Shane Cotton, Sam Mitchell, Saskia Leek, John Reynolds, Michael Harrison, Gavin Hipkins, Gavin Hurlet, et al., Andrew Barber, Richard Maloy, Francis Upritchard, Peter Robinson, Rohan Wealleans, Richard Orjis and Geoffrey Heath.

Picture courtesy NZAF

PRESS RELEASE: Entire Proceeds from Goldie Sale next Thursday to be Gifted to Charity

In recent years the prices achieved for the work of Charles Frederick Goldie have close to doubled in value, reflecting his position as the preeminent painter of Maori in the early-mid stages of the Twentieth Century. Regularly making the news for high prices at auction and, by association, the returns they’ve given to canny investors and collectors under headlines like ‘Recession Proof’, ART+OBJECT will feature an important early Goldie Portrait in their upcoming sale of Important Paintings and Contemporary Art on July 29th. Whilst the painting is an undeniably important and rare example, the sale itself is more notable for the objectives of the current owner than for the work itself.

Painted in 1915 the painting carries all the hallmarks so prized by collectors of Goldie’s work including the incredible attention to detail and painterly virtuosity for which the artist is without peer in this country. The subject is TAMAITI TUKINO, A Chieftainess of the NGATI TUWHARETOA TRIBE who lived at TOKAANU, LAKE TAUPO and who was a descendant of the very noted Chief TE HEU HEU of the great ARAWA TRIBE.

A small note in the catalogue alongside the provenance and caption indicates the unprecedented intentions of the Goldie vendor: “All proceeds from the sale of this painting will be donated by the vendor towards funding charitable projects including increasing education and literacy in third world countries along with water and sanitation projects in Africa.”

ART+OBJECT expects the painting to realize between $150 000 and $200 000 at next Thursday night’s auction and has also donated a portion of its commission to support the vendor’s chosen charity. Director of Art, Ben Plumbly remarks: “Although I’ve been privileged enough to have sold several Goldie’s in recent years this sale will be the most unusual and special of them all. Whilst it is not unprecedented for a vendor to give a portion of the proceeds from the sale of a painting to a charity or back to the artist or their estate, never before have I come across a vendor donating the entire proceeds of the sale of such an important and expensive work of art to charity”.

The vendor lives in the lower North Island and wishes to remain anonymous. They have owned the painting for around twenty years.

A Phenomenal Collection of Pounamu Jewellery

On September 20th as a section of the Artefact and New Zealand auction, ART+OBJECT will sell perhaps the largest collection of pounamu and kauri gum jewellery and memorabilia in New Zealand. Singularly compiled over a period of 20 years by a South Island collector, the collection comprises over 100 pieces and will be offered in its entirety.

Important Paintings and Contemporary Art Now on View

Important Paintings and Contemporary Art Catalogue Out Now

The catalogue for A+O's 38th auction, Important Paintings and Contemporary Art, to be held on July 29th is online now and available in hard copy. The sale opens for viewing next Thursday night (22nd) between 6:00 and 8:00pm and includes excellent works by Dick Frizell, John Pule, Bill Hammond, Tony Fomison, Ralph Hotere, Gordon Walters and many others.