Louise Henderson Arab Portrait No.8
13.12.21 Works of Art 0637 Auction Catalogue December 2021 Contemporary, Modern and Historical Art
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Director
Public Relations
Advertising
Creative Direction
Paul Evans Managing Director paul@webbs.co.nz +64 21 866 000
Christine Kearney PR & Marketing Director christine@webbs.co.nz +64 27 929 5604
Holly Hart Jenkins Advertising Manager advertising@webbs.co.nz +64 27 557 5925
Elliot Ferguson Art Director design@webbs.co.nz +64 21 111 9146
Publishing Contacts
Art Department Auckland
Wellington
Charles Ninow Head of Art charles@webbs.co.nz +64 21 053 6504
Adrienne (AD) Schierning Manager, Art ad@webbs.co.nz +64 27 929 5609
Tasha Jenkins Specialist, Art tasha@webbs.co.nz +64 22 595 5610
Carey Young Specialist, Art carey@webbs.co.nz +64 21 368 348
Julian McKinnon Content & Research editor@webbs.co.nz +64 21 113 5001
Charles Tongue Valuations Specialist valuations@webbs.co.nz +64 22 406 5514
Connie Dwyer Administrator, Art connie@webbs.co.nz +64 9 529 5600
David Maskill Consultant, Art david@webbs.co.nz +64 27 256 0900
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Table of Contents
Journal 20 Foreword 40 Programme 43 List of Essays
44
Plates 45
Webb's
Terms & Conditions
127
Index of Artists
130
Absentee Bid Form
131
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Cultural Capital: Webb’s Launches in Wellington
Over the past three years, Webb’s has been setting the pace in the auction business in New Zealand. We have gone through an astonishing time of success and growth. This has seen us engage with clients across the country. It is our intention to continue to develop these relationships with the opening of a permanent presence in Wellington. – Paul Evans, Managing Director Webb's
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Webb’s is thrilled to announce the opening of a new premises in Wellington in early 2022. This is an important step for New Zealand’s largest auction house, and for the market it serves. Situated at 23 Marion Street, the Wellington premises will provide a welcoming environment for our clients, a 500 square metre state-of-the-art gallery space, private meeting and viewing rooms and secure storage facilities. Leading interior designer Rufus Knight has lead the fit out for the site. Knight was appointed to the task after completing the excellent design of our Mount Eden gallery and office. Carey Young and David Maskill will run Webb’s new Wellington office. Carey brings a distinguished track record as a former gallerist and Webb’s representative in Wellington. David brings his knowledge and experience as an art historian and educator to the role. They are a complementary pair in terms of their proven leadership and knowledge of both historical and contemporary art. Together they will provide a wealth of expertise to our growing clientele within the Wellington region and further afield. This is an important step for Webb’s as a business. Peter Webb, the founder of our enterprise, was instrumental in developing the market for modern and contemporary New Zealand art. His vision and drive to succeed saw Webb’s grow to be the largest auction house in the country. Under his leadership, it expanded into the distinct departments it features today – enabling the development of secondary markets for a broad clientele with diverse tastes. Webb’s today is proud of this legacy, and it informs our direction. We are defining the market now, much as Peter Webb did when he established the business. We’re driven to achieve results that change the way art and luxury collectibles are viewed, written about, and valued. This is our raison d’être. Our new Wellington premises will enable further growth and development of this distinct Webb’s vision. For more information about the opening of this space, please contact our Wellington specialists who will be delighted to assist. We look forward to welcoming our Wellington clients and guests to the gallery. Wellington Office 23 Marion Street Te Aro, Wellington 6011 +64 4 555 6001 Webb's
2021
Carey Young Specialist, Art carey@webbs.co.nz +64 21 368 348
David Maskill Consultant, Art david@webbs.co.nz +64 27 256 0900 21
A Masterpiece: The Sang House
Images above of The Sang House including; Don Binney, Te Henga, 1967, price realised. $105,110 Guy Ngan, 21, 1975, price realised. $21,022, Don Driver, La Guardia No 2, 1966, price realised. $51,054.
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Earlier this year, Webb’s partnered with Wall Real Estate to sell The Sang House. This architectural icon is both an exquisite home and an important piece of New Zealand cultural history. It was designed by renowned architect and art collector Ron Sang as his family residence in 1973. Nestled amongst trees, every room within this house allows dappled afternoon sun and unique views. It is an exceptional environment for living. From the custom-made Guy Ngan door handle to the home’s seamless integration with the landscaped garden, Sang’s attention to detail and his discerning taste for modern art is evident throughout this extraordinary home. This combination of the domestic and the artistic was summed up by Darryl Sang, “One of the things to remember about the design of a house, is that it is designed for its occupants and their requirements. There’s another layer, which is aesthetic. A great building combines those things.” 22
Interior including Ian Scott, Lattice No. 133, 1986, price realised. $38,512.
[He] was an architect as well as an art collector, and those two aspects of his life really went hand in hand. His architectural style developed along with his art collecting. His houses are designed to display art. — Darryl Sang, Director of Sang Architects This was Webb’s first auction of a piece of architecture, and our collaboration with Wall Real Estate was an overwhelming success. The Sang House found a buyer at $4,000,000, an eye-watering mark-up from its capital value of $2,025,000. The sale generated a combined total of $4,433,664, with a sell through rate of 91% that saw each lot achieving prices well above the expected estimates. The presentation of Ron Sang’s house, itself a modernist masterpiece, offered an occasion to acknowledge his legacy beyond the world of architecture. He was an art collector and publisher of some of the most sumptuous publications on significant New Zealand artists. In his house in Remuera, Sang surrounded himself with paintings, sculptures, studio ceramics and art glass by some of the leading practitioners in these fields. Darryl Sang said of his father, “[He] was an architect as well as an art collector, and those two aspects of his life really went hand in hand. His architectural style developed along with his art collecting. His houses are designed to display art”. The list of paintings collected by Sang is a roll call of New Zealand art from the 1970s onwards. There were early stained colour-field canvasses by Gretchen Albrecht from the 1970s, as well as one of her iconic hemispheres from 1984 and a later spectacular oval, Nomadic Geometries (At This Hour-Red) from 1994. Sang’s collection also included paintings by Don Binney, Pat Hanly, Michael Smither, Robert Ellis, Allen Maddox and Philippa Blair. His other passions in the field of collecting were the sculptures of Guy Ngan and Don Driver, the studio ceramics of Len Castle, Roy Cowan, Graeme Storm and the art glass of Ann Robinson. Webb's
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Ron Sang’s passion for the art and culture of this country is something to be celebrated. Webb’s marketed a curated selection of artwork alongside the house. This included works by some of Sang’s favourites: Ralph Hotere, Gretchen Albrecht, Guy Ngan, and others. This innovative approach had a symbiotic effect of enhancing both the art and the house through mutual association. It proved a winning combination, with sales well over reserve. Sang was intently involved in the art and culture scene. He forged relationships with artists and makers, supporting their practices and collecting their work. As his son observed, these associations proved mutually beneficial. Our founder, Peter Webb, also made sustained efforts to cultivate the careers of many of New Zealand’s most prominent modern artists. He worked with Colin McCahon, Don Binney and Pat Hanly, to name but a few. These were the very same artists whose work Ron Sang loved and collected. The spirit of mutual support and cultural collaboration was exemplified by Webb’s sale of the Sang House. Are you looking to bring your unique architectural home to market? With our innate cultural capital and our distinct, high-production marketing, Webb’s is unmatched. We achieve market-beating results for high-end homes. Contact us for an appraisal. Paul Evans Managing Director paul@webbs.co.nz +64 21 866 000
Charles Ninow Head of Art charles@webbs.co.nz +64 21 053 6504 23
Immersed in Other Cultures: Reagan Lee
Reagan Lee, Fate2020 Pandemic (Beethoven) 命运2020疫(贝多芬), 2020, ink on paper, 965 × 855mm est. $100,000 - $150,000 price realised. $156,445.
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Given the geographical location of Aotearoa, and the increasingly diverse population, it is of no surprise that Asian art has a growing presence in our culture. Contemporary New Zealand is a place where diverse cultural influences have the opportunity to interact and ultimately strengthen one another. Art is a natural area for these cultural threads to intertwine. It is a sign of the growing maturity of the art market in New Zealand that audiences are interested in a greater diversity of collectible artwork. In the past, market interest has focussed on a small handful of artists operating within a specific range of subject matter. Over the decades, this has broadened. Collectors now have diverse tastes and interests. A recent collaboration between Webb’s Art and Asian Art departments shone a light on this increasing openness and sophistication within our collecting habits. The standout piece from the combined auction was Reagan Lee’s Fate 2020 Pandemic (Beethoven), an ink on paper work that the artist made in 2020. On auction day, the work achieved a price of $156,445, well clear of its pre-auction estimate of $100,000 - $150,000. This was an excellent outcome, and a strong endorsement of Webb’s approach. Lee is a fascinating character. Born in Liaoning, China, in 1966, Lee studied at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, graduating in 1990. In 1991 he migrated to the Seychelles. There he became well known for his expressive portraits, and was the personal painter of President James Alix Michel. He lived there for nearly ten years, before moving to Europe and finally settling in New Zealand. Throughout his career, he has sought to reconcile traditional Chinese art practices with the global concerns he has encountered while immersed in other cultures. Lee’s practice was recognised with a major exhibition at Guangdong Museum of Art, China, in 2012. Reagan Lee’s success is a marker of how strong the contemporary Asian art community is in New Zealand. It is a fantastic dimension of contemporary art in this country. At Webb’s, we are upbeat about the future of this growing community, and we look forward to a continuation of successful events such as our recent art auction. Webb’s Asian Art department offers traditional art and artefacts along with excellent art by leading contemporary Asian artists. If you are interested in broadening your collection, or bringing outstanding Asian art to market, get in touch. We would love to hear from you. Tom Pan Head of Asian Art + 64 21 045 0118 tom@webbs.co.nz Webb's
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Anne Xu Asian Art Administrator + 64 9 529 5608 asianart@webbs.co.nz 25
Emil Jellineck with his daughter Mercédès c1885.
The Best or Nothing: Mercedes-Benz
Inventor Karl Benz sitting The Benz Motorwagen, the world’s first automobile, c1886.
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To many of us, Mercedes-Benz is a name synonymous with luxurious and cutting-edge automobiles. However, ‘Mercedes’ the brand was in fact inspired by a 12-year old girl. Credited as the inventor of the automobile, engineer Karl Benz (of Benz & Co) patented the three-wheeled motor car known as the ‘Motorwagen’ way back in 1886. Less than a decade later, Benz introduced the Velocipede (Velo), which became the first large-scale production automobile and saw Benz & Co become the second-largest engine manufacturer in Germany. Around the same time, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach were developing the bicycle-inspired Daimler Reitwagen (Riding Car), the world’s first motorcycle with a single-cylinder internal combustion engine. In 1889, they built their first automobile and created the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) business the very next year, successfully producing a number of race cars built on contract for Emil Jellinek. This in turn leads us on to that 12-year old girl. Emil Jellinek was a European entrepreneur who established an automobile trading company in the late 1890s while working as Austria’s Consul General in Nice, France. He sold multiple car brands, including those of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) to French aristocrats and went on to sell them globally to the likes of the Rothschild family. Emil believed that the name Mercedes (meaning kindness or mercy in Spanish) brought good fortune. He not only called his daughter Mercedes and labelled his family’s residence Villa Mercedes, but even raced under the pseudonym of ‘Monsieur Mercedes’ too. So it was no surprise that 12-yearold Mercédès Jellinek provided the inspiration for the 1901 Mercedes 35 HP, the first model of many to come to adopt the moniker. Designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler (son of Gottlieb) but the initiative of Emil Jellinek, the Mercedes 35 HP was regarded as the first modern motor car. It was a road-based adaptation of Emil’s racing car and featured a 5.9-litre straight-four petrol engine making 35 horsepower (26 kilowatts). This first Mercedes generated huge excitement at the “Nice Race Week” in March 1901 as it was a powerful, lightweight vehicle with a low centre of gravity. It was a stand out from all previously built cars and signaled the end for the carriages used in automobile manufacturing. 26
The 1901 Mercedes 35 HP which was the first model to adopt the Mercedes moniker.
This first Mercedes generated huge excitement at the “Nice Race Week” in March 1901 as it was a powerful, lightweight vehicle with a low centre of gravity. It was a stand out from all previously built cars and signaled the end for the carriages used in automobile manufacturing. Later, in 1901, the name ‘Mercedes’ was re-registered by DMG worldwide as a protected trademark. Their production capacity was extended as they created the first Mercedes models, led by the ‘60’. Although the Mercedes Simplex 60 HP was the successor to the 35, it wasn’t a racing car. Capable of 120 km/h, the 9.3L 60 put more emphasis on touring and luxury and established itself as a top-status car to own, a direction the brand has stayed true to since. The development of the Mercedes logo came about in 1909 when the the sons of Gottlieb Daimler (Paul and Adolf) remarked that their father previously used a star for a symbol. Taking inspiration from that, the DMG Board registered two logos as trademarks of the Mercedes brand - a three-pointed star logo and a four-pointed star logo. It was the three-pointed star that was ultimately selected, the familar emblem adorns the front radiator of vehicles from 1910 onwards. According to the company, the logo signifies the automaker’s drive toward its engines dominating the land, sea, and air. But its relevance is underscored when in June 1926 (due to the post WWI German economic crisis) three automotive pioneers (Daimler/Mercedes DMG and Benz & Co) merged, becoming Daimler-Benz and adopting Mercedes-Benz as its automobile trademark. The merger was evidently highly successful, with 7,000 cars produced by the following year. It has been a story of Webb's
2021
success ever since. Mercedes-Benz have produced some of the most spectacular performance and luxury vehicles on the planet – from the powerful and desirable such as the SLR McLaren and AMG G-Wagon, to the ultimately collectible such as the 300 SL Gull-Wing Coupe. And let’s not forget the importance of Pagodas. Designed by Paul Bracq and named after the shape of its roof (reminiscent of the concavity of oriental shrines), the technically and stylistically groundbreaking W113 ‘Pagoda’ set new standards in terms of style and passive safety, underscored with a certain ‘Je ne sais quoi’ French flair - to ardent fans, the Pagoda remains the measure of all things. Mercedes-Benz - the best or nothing! Webb’s has become the industry leader for classic Mercedes sales. Entries are now invited for our April 2022 auction, get in touch with our specialist team for a complimentary auction appraisal.
Caolán McAleer Head of Collectors’ Cars caolan@webbs.co.nz +64 27 929 5603
Ian Nott Collectors’ Cars Consultant ian@webbs.co.nz +64 21 610 911 27
King Among Watches: The Cartier Name
From a jeweller for kings to a king among watch manufactories. The Cartier name has long come to denote quality and opulence. The years 1910-1940 are considered to be the golden era for the illustrious firm, with the art deco period inspiring some of company’s most notable pieces. Sleek and bold designs and the use of unorthodox combination of stones were introduced during this time, with many designs combining gemstones such as onyx, rock crystal, ivory, lapis and jade. Cartier first started producing ladies wristwatches in the late 1880s and by the 1920s, these jewellery watches became beautifully ornate and precious. These small, jewelled creations typically featured rectangular, octagonal or round bezels, pavé-set with diamonds and fitted with black moiré silk straps, or bracelets of fine black cord or seed pearls. At Webb’s, we have had the privilege to represent a watch of this level of craftsmanship and importance. Showcased above is the Art Deco bejewelled wristwatch made by Cartier, circa 1920s. A finely crafted 18ct white gold and platinum piece, decorated with rose cut diamonds and onyx, accented with a diamond set crown and completed with a flexible seed pearl on platinum wire bracelet. This rare find is a spectacular example of Cartier’s enduring influence on design and craftsmanship and a true symbol of elegance and luxury. This exquisite timepiece was discovered by chance during a consignment trip to Christchurch. Unaware of the true value of this gem, this vendor only requested that the watch return to him the few hundred dollars it owed him. Webb's
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An ariel view of The Cartier Showroom. New York City 1947.
Samuel Shaw, Manager, Fine Jewels & Watches at Webb’s.
Our watch specialist, Samuel Shaw, was immediately enamoured by its beauty and in awe that the watch had survived till now in such excellent condition. Despite not being in working order, everything else about the watch was perfect. All the watch needed was to find a collector who would be committed to seeing it restored by the famous house itself back in Paris. Sam, who has over 10 years’ experience in the luxury watches and jewellery sector, has worked for some of United Kingdom’s most prodigious retailers, including Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Smythson of Bond street, David M Robinson Jewellers and the London Rolex Boutique at One Hyde Park Knightsbridge. He emigrated to Aotearoa in 2015 and managed Partridge Jewellers in central Christchurch for 6 years before joining the Webb’s family in June this year. Sam’s wealth of knowledge and connection has seen him build up the watch sector of the auction house tremendously. He is also an enthusiast for watches on a personal level and is an active member of New Zealand’s largest watch collecting club. His passion is evident and his customer service unparalleled. Sam knew he could find the right buyer for this piece and with the help of our in house marketing team, this proved to be the case as the Cartier watch sold to an international collector for a handsome sum of $26,500 NZD incl BP. If this is anything to go by, now is definitely a great time to bring your pre-loved treasures to the market. To learn more about our sale highlights, please head over to our website or get in touch with our specialist team for an obligation free appraisal. Who knows what auction history you may write with your piece.
Kassidy Hsieh Head of Fine Jewels & Watches kassidy@webbs.co.nz +64 27 929 5607 Webb's
2021
Samuel Shaw Manager, Fine Jewels & Watches samuel@webbs.co.nz +64 22 499 5610 29
Farming for Flavour: Stonyridge Larose
Wine is romantic and spiritual. It is also artistic. Most farming is about cropping; we’re actually farming for flavour. — Steve White, owner and founder of Stonyridge Steve established Stonyridge in November 1982 with the bold and simple goal of making the greatest red wine in the country. They made their first vintage in 1985, and the breakthrough came with their third vintage in 1987. According to Master of Wine Bob Campbell, “Waiheke’s long-time hero, Stonyridge Larose has been making waves since its stellar vintage in 1987,” a glowing endorsement for this breakout vintage. Now, the Stonyridge team are riding high after three amazing back-to-back vintages from 2018-2020. On the subject of our recent results, and why there is such a strong secondary market for his wines, Steve offered simply that Stonyridge was never concerned with increasing quantity, rather the focus has always been on increasing quality. Ultimately, price reflects quality.
Entrance to Stonyridge vineyard on Waiheke Island, Auckland.
Once again, Webb’s has showcased multiple lots of Stonyridge Larose in our most recent wine auctions. We presented several vintages, with some extremely valuable magnums making an appearance – a rarity. As has become the norm for this great Waiheke Island wine, interest in Larose remains healthy. All vintages on offer met strong bidding. Recent highlights were magnums of the 1993 and 1987 vintages, which commanded prices of $2,370 and $3,555 respectively – easily surpassing their high estimates. The vendor of the 1987 had been happy to accept what were in hindsight conservative estimates based on previous singlebottle results. He was astonished when the 1987 magnum reached its unprecedented hammer price. Owner and founder of Stonyridge, Steve White, said, “Wine is romantic and spiritual. It is also artistic. Most farming is about cropping; we’re actually farming for flavour.”
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1993 Stonyridge Larose Magnum, 1500ml, est. $1,200 - $1,600 price realised. $2,370.
Stonyridge Larose Results at Webb’s: Average Price Per Bottle $350.00 $300.00 $250.00 $200.00 $150.00 $100.00 $50.00 $0.00 2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Waiheke’s long-time hero, Stonyridge Larose has been making waves since its stellar vintage in 1987. — Bob Campbell, Master of Wine
Another recent Webb’s highlight was an Original Wooden Case (OWC) of the 2018 vintage. This beauty reached $4,266, demonstrating that even the younger vintages are highly sought after. However, Steve believes that this wine is still under-valued. Stonyridge Larose has the same price as many traditional Bordeaux second-growth wines. It is now recognised on the international market as a new investment wine for buyers. Across all vintages we have recorded a 76.5% increase in Stonyridge Larose hammer prices since January 2021. The market shows no signs of slowing down in the coming years. As the aforementioned sale of the Magnum of 1987 shows, people who know their stuff see the potential of Stonyridge Larose and are willing to pay more for it. Our vendor said, “Selling through Webb’s was easy, despite the restrictions due to Covid lockdowns. From Webb’s initial email requesting that I consign, to selling the bottle, took just over two weeks. I received payment exactly one month to the day from the date of that initial email. I just wish I had more Stonyridge to sell.” Whether it be single bottles, magnums or OWCs, the interest in great New Zealand wineries such as Stonyridge, Te Mata, Felton Rd, Dry River & Ata Rangi continues to grow. If you are considering bringing bottles from your cellar to market, get in touch with us for an appraisal.
Marcus Atkinson Head of Fine Wines & Whiskies marcus@webbs.co.nz +64 27 929 5601 Webb's
2021
Marshell Wan Fine Wines, Specialist marshell@webbs.co.nz +64 22 061 5612 31
In Fine Form: Crown Lynn
There are few local manufacturers that have left a legacy as enduring and nostalgic as Crown Lynn. Webb’s has been delighted to remain at the forefront of presenting this iconic work to the secondary market. Easily New Zealand’s most prolific ceramic producer, Crown Lynn’s rich history has helped form our country’s cultural identity and established some of Aotearoa’s most celebrated ceramicists. From humble beginnings as a brickworks operating as Ambrico (Amalgamated Brick and Pipe Company Limited), Crown Lynn as we know it started as a small, experimental arm of the company that had deviated from producing just building materials. This special department, formed in the late 1930s, was run by Tom Clark who passionately encouraged staff to experiment with ground-breaking products and techniques using locally available clay. The beginning of World War II meant import restrictions for New Zealand, and only essential goods were allowed into the country. By December 1940, no crockery was able to be imported. Ambrico was directed by the wartime Ministry of Supply to produce tableware for both military and domestic use, a directive they grasped with both hands. Between 1943 and 1944, they produced 1.5 million cups alone, and as a result fervently established themselves in the domestic market.
A Crown Lynn Hand-Potted Vase, est. $250 - $500 price realised. $568.80
Crown Lynn factory, Auckland, c1960.
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Webb’s recent Studio Ceramics sale sold 100% of lots including many fine examples of Crown Lynn ceramics like the Swan pictured above.
The demand for decorative items grew and an increasing number of consumers were now investing in pieces purely for their aesthetics. A popular example of this was their model animal range, the most recognisable of which is the ubiquitous Swan Vase.
Pacific factory worker Crown Lynn, Auckland, photographed by Gregory Riethmaier c1960.
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As the austerity and rationing of the Second World War began to fade into memory, Crown Lynn began to adapt to the new post-war landscape. The demand for decorative items grew and an increasing number of consumers were now investing in pieces purely for their aesthetics. A popular example of this was their slip cast animal range, the most recognisable of which is the ubiquitous Swan Vase. Throughout this post-war period, New Zealand’s insular economy allowed the company to dominate the market. Under the guidance of ceramicist Briar Gardner, Elam graduate Dave Jenkin specialised in glaze work and applied this to pieces that are still hugely collectible today. Prior to this, Gardner had been instrumental in setting up a new area of the company creating domestic ware that would grow from eight to 300 employees over the next eight years. The enormous success of pieces such as those using the glaze techniques developed by Jenkin allowed the “specials” department of Ambrico to become Crown Lynn in 1948. What was once a New Zealand household staple has now grown to be highly collectible. Collaborations with local and international artists, finely hand painted designs, elegant and refined forms have all become associations synonymous with the brand. Webb’s recent Studio Ceramics auction saw some phenomenal results as the market for applied arts continues to explode. Over 400 registered bidders saw one of the most competitive auctions of the season. Every single piece that went under the hammer sold, a remarkable feat, with many selling for up to eight times the top estimate. There was fierce bidding from both international and local buyers on all lots, a particular highlight Crown Lynn Trickle Glaze Swan, eventually selling for $2,251.50 against an estimate of $150 - $300. To discuss the consignments or investment in applied arts please get in touch with our specialist team.
Ben Erren Head of Decorative Arts ben@webbs.co.nz +64 21 191 9660
Leah Morris Decorative Arts, Specialist leah@webbs.co.nz +64 22 574 5699 33
Melting Moments: A Sale of National Significance
Melting Moments was drawn from a collection of national significance. It was an honour for Webb’s to bring it to auction. I am very pleased for all of the successful auction day bidders, who I am sure will be excellent custodians of these brilliant works. Naturally, I’m delighted for our vendor, whom it was a privilege to work with in achieving this amazing set of results. – Charles Ninow, Head of Art Webb's
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Install of Melting Moments including; Andrew McLeod, Interior with Pink, est. $35,000 – $55,000, price realised. $130,370 Séraphine Pick, Burning The Furniture, est. $150,000 - $200,000, price realised. $266,805.
Webb’s brought an extraordinary contemporary art collection to market in November. Melting Moments: A Private Collection of Contemporary Art was brought to auction mere days after Auckland Covid restrictions were eased. Records fell left, right, and centre amid voracious market appetite for top New Zealand art. New all-time auction records were set for works by a host of artists. But the star of the show was the incomparable Bill Hammond. Hammond’s sensational Melting Moments II, after which the auction was named, more than doubled the previous price record for a work by the late artist. The hammer came down at $940,000, far above its pre-auction estimate of $350,000 - $550,000. While this painting was unquestionably the standout, it was well supported by three other Hammond paintings. Waiting for Buller Bar, a 1993 painting, came in at $382,000 – which itself would have been a record mere days earlier. Clutch 2, a 32 × 24cm painting from 2017 found a buyer at $113,000, and Companions of Misery, a 1990 work on aluminium sold for $82,000. Séraphine Pick’s sensational 2007 painting Burning The Furniture reached $266,805 – more than double the previous record for a work by the artist. Liz Maw’s The Naiad, a large, stunningly rendered painting from 2006, found a buyer at $121,275. The previous record for a work by Maw was $58,000. Andrew McLeod’s 2011 painting Interior with Pink came in at $130,370 – far ahead of the previous highest price for a work by McLeod, which was under $80,000. Tony De Lautour’s 1999 work Panorama sold for $97,020 – the previous highest for the artist was $40,000. Webb's
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Further all-time price records were set for artists André Hemer, Ans Westra, Kushana Bush, and Joe Sheehan. Fiona Pardington’s Ruru Perfect Prince also reached a price of $129,000, the second highest price ever for a work by the artist. The record-setting trend continued when it came to prints. Don Binney’s Manunui, Otakamiro, a 2010 screeprint, sold for $72,150, triple the previous record for a Binney print. An artist’s proof of Gordon Walters’ 1982 screenprint Kura sold for $46,000, a record for a Walters print, and Brent Harris’s 1999 screenprint To the Forest sold for $12,100, a record print price for the Australasian artist. These records were indicative of the level of market appetite for high-quality artwork by leading artists. Investors are taking to cultural assets with incresing gusto, seeing longterm returns to go with the enjoyment of living with unique and stunning artwork. The astonishing spending boom evident in the results from Melting Moments demonstrates this insatiable market appetite. As the nation’s leading auction house, Webb’s is in the hot-seat, with bullish levels of demand from clients for yet more art. If you are considering bringing your cultural assets to market, contact our specialist team for an obligation-free appraisal. We will be delighted to hear from you. Charles Ninow Head of Art charles@webbs.co.nz +64 21 053 6504
Adrienne (AD) Schierning Manager, Art ad@webbs.co.nz +64 27 929 5609 35
Making History Since 1976
Webb's has been the heart of the New Zealand art market since 1976. Naturally, we have a storied history of representing important collections. Over the past four and a half decades, many key businesses and private collectors have entrusted us with their cultural assets. We have delivered outstanding results at every turn. This is a selection of significant collections that we have represented.
Works from the Kim Wright Collection, 1979
Collection of Kobi & Patricia Bosshard, 1986
The Family Collection of the Late Colin McCahon, 1990
The New Zealand Collections of Doctor Neville Hogg, 1993
The Goodman Fielder Estate, 1995
The Lee Johnson Collection, 1998
The Ida Eise Collection, 1999
The Partington Collection of Photography, 2001
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The DB Breweries Ltd Art Collection, 2003
The Dr Hans and Andrea Haumer Collection, 2004
Contemporary Art, 1960 – 2009, A Private Collection
The Jim Fraser Collection, 2006
The Richard & Rhoda Potton Collection, 2008
The Estate of Giovanni Intra, 2008
The Helene Quilter Collection, 2014
The Collection of Nadene Milne, 2016
The Warwick & Kitty Brown Collection, 2017
Works from the Collection of Pat & Gil Hanly, 2017
The Collection of Peter Jarvis & Helene Phillips, 2017
The Estate of Miss Crabb, 2019
Works from the Collection of Una Platts, 2019
Works from the Collection of Harvey Benge, 2020
Works from the Collection of Tim & Helen Beaglehole, 2020
Melting Moments: A Private Collection, 2021
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Top Ten Prices This Year 001 Bill Hammond Melting Moments II 1999 acrylic on canvas 850 × 2000mm est $350,000 – $550,000 price $939,880
003 Colin McCahon Landscape Theme and Variations (H) c1963 oil on jute 1770 × 830mm est $300,000 – $500,000 price $312,350
005 Séraphine Pick Burning The Furniture 2007 oil on linen 1855 × 2600mm est $150,000 - $200,000 price $266,805
008 Ralph Hotere Les Saintes Marie de la Mer 2002 enamel on mirror 11180mm (diameter) est $90,000 – $120,000 price $156,200
002 Bill Hammond Waiting for Buller Bar 1993 acrylic on canvas 1400 × 1000mm est $150,000 – $250,000 price $382,015
004 Colin McCahon Jump E4 1973 acrylic on jute 910 × 442mm est $250,000 – $350,000 price $303,330
006 Michael Smither Three Rock Pools and Lava Flow 2004 oil and sand on board 1260 × 820mm est $250,000 – $350,000 price $262,000
009 Tony Fomison Self Portrait 1975 oil on cloth on board 430 × 495mm est $80,000 – $120,000 price $156,200
007 Bill Hammond Living Large 3 1995 acrylic on paper on canvas 1990 × 1070mm est $150,000 – $250,000 price $168,200
010 Andrew McLeod Interior with Pink 2011 oil on canvas 1200 × 1600mm est $35,000 – $55,000 price $130,370
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2021 has been a challenging year. Along with numerous lockdowns, we have had to farewell some of the enduring legends of the art world. Artists Bill Hammond and Billy Apple passed away in recent months, as did legendary Christchurch gallerist Judith Gifford. In each of these cases, extraordinary legacies have been left for us all to treasure and learn from. It was a particular distinction for Webb’s to present a suite of works by Hammond in our single-vendor auction Melting Moments: A Private Collection of Contemporary Art. In a fitting tribute to the great artist, Webb’s set an all-time price record for one of his paintings, at $939,880. Other Hammond works also performed sensationally one can only say that the market is fully embracing his extraordinary legacy. In considering important legacies, we are drawn to reflect on our own. Peter Webb was the inspiration and vision behind this company when it began. His legacy is Webb's
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New Zealanders are embracing the value of our place in the world, our stories, and our art like never before.
at the essence of the auction powerhouse that is Webb’s today. We are defining the market now, much as Peter Webb did when he established the business. We are the highest turnover auction house in New Zealand, and our business is rapidly growing. We’re making and expanding markets for new generations of artists, while raising the bar for blue-chip luminaries. We’re driven to achieve results that change the way art is viewed, written about, and valued. We are speaking the language of today while representing timeless values in art that will be cherished for decades to come. We love art and we love telling stories that add meaning to the works we present. Presenting great art in the best possible light to the broadest possible audience is what drives us. If you have artwork that you’re considering selling, get in touch with the team at Webb’s.
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Works of Art: Entries Invited
Bill Hammond, Melting Moments II, 1999, acrylic on canvas, 850 × 2000mm est $350,000 – $550,000, price realised. $940,000
Webb’s is inviting entries for our March 2022 Works of Art auction. This will be our first flagship art sale in the new year. Our last major art auction grossed a scintillating $3.7 million, with a slew of all-time price records. We fully anticipate that the market will remain very stong and records will continue to tumble. wellington 04 555 6001 23 Marion Street Te Aro Wellington, 6011
auckland 09 529 5600 33a Normanby Rd Mount Eden Auckland, 1024 Charles Ninow Head of Art charles@webbs.co.nz +64 21 053 6504
Adrienne (AD) Schierning Manager, Art ad@webbs.co.nz +64 27 929 5609
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Carey Young Specialist, Art carey@webbs.co.nz +64 21 368 348
David Maskill Consultant, Art david@webbs.co.nz +64 27 256 0900 39
Foreword
This year, outstanding works by the finest artists this nation has ever produced have flowed through Webb’s like a river. It has been incredible. When I reflect on everything that has happened this year, I have to pinch myself. In all my time in the auction industry, I have not seen anything quite like it. Incredible artworks by Hammond, Pick, Fomison, McCahon, Henderson, Smither, Walters, Pardington, Cotton and a host of others have passed through our hands on their way to their proud new custodians.
The art department team at Webb's, left to right: Adrienne (AD) Schierning, David Maskill, Tasha Jenkins, Charles Ninow, Carey Young, Julian McKinnon and Connie Dwyer.
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Kia ora koutou, nau mai haere mai ki te Whiringa-ā-nuku Works of Art, welcome to our Works of Art catalogue. This is our final live auction catalogue for 2021; it showcases a fittingly magnificent collection of artwork to see out what has been a sensational year for art at Webb’s. The year has brought some unique challenges – and some extraordinary opportunities. We have had to navigate multiple lockdowns and the disruptions to daily life that have come with them. For Webb’s, as for most businesses, having to close our doors for months at a time has been a tremendous challenge. But, as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. We have found innovative ways to ensure that our business has kept growing, thriving and raising the bar for the auction industry. We have worked tirelessly, often remotely, to compile the best art this nation has to offer, and to present it in our unique, industry-leading style and with the kind of flair we are increasingly known for. I am proud of the incredible efforts of the Webb’s team to ensure our exemplary standards have not just been maintained, but improved upon during this challenging year. I am also tremendously grateful for the support of our vendors and buyers. You are the lifeblood of our business, and it is a privilege to witness your insatiable enthusiasm for contemporary and historic New Zealand art. 40
Don Binney, Mana Island, 1971, oil on canvas on board, 2560 × 3490mm.
This year, outstanding works by the finest artists this nation has ever produced have flowed through Webb’s like a river. It has been incredible. When I reflect on everything that has happened this year, I have to pinch myself. In all my time in the auction industry, I have not seen anything quite like it. Incredible artworks by Hammond, Pick, Fomison, McCahon, Henderson, Smither, Walters, Pardington, Cotton and a host of others have passed through our hands on their way to their proud new custodians. The year has absolutely hummed, and I have had the sense that it will stand up as a significant milestone in New Zealand art history. There have been too many highlights to do them all justice here. We have set all time price records for works by Hammond, Pick (twice), Maw, McLeod, and de Lautour among many others. Though perhaps a particular standout was our sensational single-vendor auction, Melting Moments: A Private Collection of Contemporary Art. This was a fascinating selection of art from an incredible collection, and it was met with tremendous interest from collectors and art enthusiasts. It was a privilege to bring Melting Moments together, and to see it so widely embraced. For all this, the curtain is yet to fall on 2021. We still have the final act – and what an act it is. This Works of Art catalogue is one of our strongest yet. It features the incomparable Webb's
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Mana Island, Don Binney’s largest-ever painting, which is on the market for the first time; Burning Question, a remarkable 1990s work by Séraphine Pick that captures the essence of her remarkable abilities as a painter; and further works by modern masters like Louise Henderson, Pat Hanly and Robin White. These pages are also graced by a suite of works by Gordon Walters, the enduring legend of New Zealand abstraction. There is, of course, far more on offer. It is my pleasure to invite you to discover the incredible breadth and depth of Works of Art within these pages. As ever, I am thrilled to be in service of great art and an amazing clientele.
Charles Ninow Head of Art charles@webbs.co.nz +64 21 053 6504 41
Industry Leading Valuations Specialists Install of Melting Moments auction, November 2021, including Fiona Pardington’s Ruru Perfect Prince, 2016 price realised. $129,000.
With the dramatic shifts and spikes in value we have seen in the art market recently, it is important to keep insurance cover of your collection up to date. There is no time like right now to revisit the value of your cultural assets. At Webb’s we have the team to assist with all aspects of your collection management. Webb’s is very pleased to welcome Charles Tongue as our new Valuations Specialist. Charles has a broad knowledge of New Zealand and international art. He comes to us from Vernon Systems where he has been assisting collectors and Webb's
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museums globally with collection management systems. This follows 15 years managing commercial art galleries in Auckland. We would love to hear from you and assist you with a valuation, or any aspect of collection management that you require. Charles Tongue Valuations Specialist valuations@webbs.co.nz +64 22 406 5514 42
Programme
Evening Preview Tuesday 7 December
6pm - 8pm
Viewing Wednesday 8 December
10am - 5pm
Thursday 9 December
10am - 5pm
Friday 10 December
10am - 5pm
Saturday 11 December
10am - 4pm
Sunday 12 December
10am - 4pm
Monday 13 December
10am - 5pm
Auction & Viewing Location
Auction
Webb’s Gallery 33a Normanby Rd Mount Eden Auckland 1024 Webb's
Monday 13 December 2021
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List of Essays Fiona Pardington The Abject and the Forgotten By Amy Weng
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Don Binney Te Henga By Jo Bragg
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Grahame Sydney 2.40 Mailbag By Neil Talbot
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Shane Cotton Ruarangi By Misong Kim
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Shane Cotton Affco Gold By Misong Kim
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Bill Henson Just Beneath the Surface By Neil Talbot
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Séraphine Pick Burning Question By Victoria Munn
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The Estate of L. Budd The Veiled Self 1-5 By Amy Weng
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Ian Scott Lattice Number 53 By Julian McKinnon
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Ann Robinson Four Vessels By Misong Kim
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Robin White Porirua Harbour I By Charles Ninow
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Richard Killeen Measuring Tools By Samantha Taylor Gordon Walters Rhythm of Regularity By Kelly Carmichael Pablo Picasso Avant La Pique By David Maskill Pat Hanly Figure in Light 18 By Connie Dwyer Louise Henderson Arab Portrait No.8 By Victoria Munn Don Binney Mana Island By David Maskill
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Plates
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Max Gimblett Fandango 2004 acrylic and resin on canvas signed MAX GIMBLETT, dated 2004 and inscribed "FANDANGO- FOR LEN in ink verso 635 x 635mm (widest points)
Bill Hammond untitled c1984
wood 190 x 90 x 90mm (widest points) est
$2,500 — $3,500
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Provenance Private collection, Victoria. Gifted by the artist, c1984. Webb's
$25,000 — $35,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. December
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Laurence Aberhart The Prisoner's Dream (Taranaki from Oeo Road Under Moonlight) 1999 gelatin silver print 170 x 245mm est
$5,000 — $8,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, 1999. Webb's
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Exhibitions Laurence Aberhart: Recent Taranaki Photographs, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, 3 March - 17 June 2012; Laurence Aberhart, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, 1999. Literature Rhana Devenport and Paul Brobbel, Laurence Aberhart: Recent Taranaki Photographs (New Plymouth: Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, 2012), 67; Laurence Aberhart, Aberhart (Wellington: Victoria University Press, 2007), plate 183.
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Bill Hammond It's a Frame of Mind That You're In, It's a Frame, It's a Frame, It's a Frame 1988 graphite on paper signed W D Hammond, dated 1988 and inscribed IT'S A FRAME OF MIND THAT YOU'RE IN, IT'S A FRAME IT'S A FRAME/ IT'S A FRAME/ LINDA LEWIS in graphite lower edge 468 x 605mm est
$4,500 — $8,500
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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Ralph Hotere Pathway to the Sea 1974 ink and watercolour on paper signed Hotere, dated 1974 and inscribed Drawing for Ian Weddes "Pathway to the Sea"/Port Chalmers 74' in ink lower right 560 x 760mm est
$30,000 — $40,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from Fine New Zealand and Foreign Paintings, Webb's, Auckland, 3 April 2001, Lot 35. Webb's
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After Andy Warhol Moonwalk printed 2020 screenprint on paper, printers proof, edition of 2500 Sunday B Morning certificate of authenticity affixed verso 955 x 955mm est
$3,000 — $5,000
André Hemer Oops! This link appears to be broken 2009 acrylic on canvas signed AH, dated 09 and inscribed Oops! This link appears to be broken in brushpoint verso 1200mm (diameter) est
$12,000 — $16,000
Provenance Private collection, Wellington. Acquired from Bartley + Co., Wellington, 2015.
Provenance Private collection.
Exhibitions André Hemer Selected Works 2005 - 2015, Pataka Art+Museum, Porirua, 27 September - 15 November 2015.
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Jude Rae Untitled (Rupture) 1990 oil on canvas signed RAE, dated '90 and inscribed Untitled (Rupture) in graphite verso 470 x 1440mm (overall) est
$6,000 — $9,000
Provenance Private collection, Christchurch. 50
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Tony de Lautour Badlands 2001 acrylic on canvas signed Tony de Lautour and dated 2001 in brushpoint lower right; inscribed BADLANDS in brushpoint upper left 980 x 945mm est
$30,000 — $40,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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Don Driver Theorem 1992 acrylic on wood signed By Don Driver, dated 1992 and inscribed "Theorem" in ink verso 1815 x 1235mm est
$15,000 — $25,000
Provenance Private collection, New Plymouth. Commissioned from the artist, c1992. Webb's
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Lyonel Grant Kotiate Figure 2 2002 travertine on andesite base 940 x 520 x 280mm (widest points) est
$20,000 — $30,000
Provenance Private collection, Gisborne. Acquired from John Leech Gallery, Auckland, 2005. 52
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Fiona Pardington – The Abject and The Forgotten Essay by AMY WENG
Known for her exquisite images of hei tiki, still lifes and ornithological specimens, Pardington imbues her works with a power and sensitivity that sheds light on the abject and the forgotten, whilst paying homage to her Kāi Tahu roots. Retrieving relics from museum collections and forgotten historic archives, Pardington transforms her subjects into potent symbols and allegories in order to bring to life transcendental and affecting views of Aotearoa New Zealand. Fiona Pardington (Kāi Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Clan Cameron) is one of New Zealand’s most esteemed photographers whose works are almost as revered as the taonga they depict. Known for her exquisite images of hei tiki, still lifes and ornithological specimens, Pardington imbues her works with a power and sensitivity that sheds light on the abject and the forgotten, whilst paying homage to her Kāi Tahu roots. Retrieving relics from museum collections and forgotten historic archives, Pardington transforms her subjects into potent symbols and allegories in order to bring to life transcendental and affecting views of Aotearoa New Zealand. Since the late 1990s, Pardington has turned her lens upon pounamu, shells, bird feathers and nests as well as skulls and life casts, effortlessly moving between analogue and digital processes. Andrew’s Albino Kiwi, 2020, is a breath-taking work depicting a rare white kiwi in profile against a dark backdrop. The bird enters the frame from the left as if caught suddenly within the camera’s viewfinder, illuminated as though seen through night vision. Each individual feather is clearly articulated in silvery tones, giving the work a heightened sense of intimacy akin to peering through a microscope, or witnessing a spectral visitation close at hand. The photograph is punctuated by the kiwi’s steady gaze, its elongated neck and thin tapered beak point forwards towards some unknown. The work bears a resemblance to other photographs by Pardington, including her 2004 Portrait of a Female Huia and her hei tiki series, where the intent gaze of the subject confronts the viewer, undermining the possibility of a passive encounter with history. Instead, Andrew’s Webb's
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Albino Kiwi looks forwards, towards an unseeable future, connecting the viewer with the past, present and future and with an important whakataukī where perspectives of time are viewed as an intertwined and continuous cosmic process. Within mātauranga Māori, kiwi are known as te manu huna a Tāne, the hidden bird of Tāne, due to their nocturnal predisposition. Kiwi feathers are prized within kākahu weaving, reserved for wear by chiefs and worn only on special occasions such as tangi. Pure white kiwis, sometimes mistakenly described as albino, enjoy a peculiar status in Aotearoa. The increase in white kiwi numbers is a direct result of twentieth century conservation efforts that have seen small breeding populations expressing recessive white feather characteristics.1 The ghostly black and white presence of Pardington’s kiwi also recalls early nineteenth century dageurreotypes and spiritual photography, drawing a connection with the entangled ideas of scientific enquiry and the supernatural, and situating the iconic animal within a history of colonial ambition. This notion of entangled histories is further explored in her botanical studies such as Mokosai Fourteen, 2014. Depicting the twisted form of an ylang ylang flower, known as mokosai in Fiji, Pardington suggests the successive waves of encounter that brought this Sumatran native to the South Pacific. Both of these works express Pardington’s mastery of the medium yet they are also steeped in photography’s histories, its strategies and possibilities. 1 Rayner, Matt. "White kiwi, French poodles, and the problem of a world in pieces". Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira. First published: 23 May 2016. Updated: 12 November 2019.
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Fiona Pardington Andrew's Albino Kiwi 2020 archival inkjet print on Hahnemuhle paper, 5/10 signed Fiona Pardington in ink verso 1090 x 1450mm est
$50,000 — $80,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from Starkwhite, Auckland, 2020. Webb's
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Fiona Pardington Mokosoi Fourteen 2014 pigment inks on Epsom Hot Press Natural, 1/10 signed Fiona Pardington, dated 2014 and inscribed Mokosoi fourteen in ink verso 1440 x 1110mm est
$40,000 — $60,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from Nadene Milne Gallery, Arrowtown, 2015. Webb's
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Exhibitions The Heart Derelict, Nadene Milne Gallery, Arrowtown, 2015.
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Paul Dibble Holding the Balance 2000 bronze, 1/5 signed Paul Dibble', dated 2000 and inscribed 1/5 with incision on base 1960 x 300 x 290mm (widest points) est
$55,000 — $85,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, 2000. Literature Paul Dibble et al, Paul Dibble (Auckland: David Bateman, 2001), 185; Paul Dibble, Paul Dibble: The large works (Auckland: David Bateman, 2012), 94.
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Richard Killeen – Measuring Tools Essay by SAMANTHA TAYLOR
Richard Killeen is a preeminent New Zealand artist who is widely known for his cut-out paintings. Born in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in 1946, Killeen pioneered his ingenious system of clustered paintings at a time when local artists were still grappling with conservative and maudlin notions of landscape. He rebelled against the virtues of his art school teacher, Colin McCahon, aligning instead with the flattened and international pictorial style of his mentor and life-long friend, Gordon Walters. Killeen’s dizzying assemblages, which featured a wide range of objects from bugs, plants and fish, to traditional Pacific motifs, chimney stacks and autobiographic content, made a case for a democratic approach to picture making. His paintings allowed viewers to formulate their own interpretations, tapping into the cultural zeitgeist of an emergent New Zealand identity that was situated in the Pacific, rather than fixated on the culture of Europe, and shaped by growing global concerns. Measuring Tools, 1993, is a mature work that features an array of iconic Killen motifs. A series of threefingered-hands, used in Māori and Polynesian carving, appear alongside cut-outs of other traditional stone tools such as patu muka and notched decorative forms. Some of the surfaces of these aluminium shapes are treated with a rich dappled paintwork, which resembles the striation of marble or hardwoods. Others enclose collaged pictograms: elongated fish, stylised flowers, a three-leaf clover, a trinity knot, the undulating form of waves and a single takarangi spiral. Webb's
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From the late 1970s onwards, Killeen abandoned canvas and frame in favour of aluminium cut-outs. These consisted of a number of select emblems presented independently of one another, each painted or collaged onto sheets of metal and cut out. Intended to be hung in any order, Killeen’s cut-outs broke with the rigid logic of painting. His earliest cut-outs utilised simple silhouettes in red and black. Fixed to the wall by nail, the works resembled encyclopaedia plates and taxonomic museum displays. Oceanic animals, native trees and indigenous artefacts proliferate, as though the artist were building an encyclopaedia from the South Pacific environment around him. Later works from the 1980s and 1990s became more elaborate, juxtaposing cut-outs with painted interiors and symbols. In Measuring Tools, we can see Killeen using these techniques to create a constellation of objects where meanings and narratives arise freely from the viewer’s own associations. In describing his works as democratic, Killeen attempted to achieve non-hierarchical compositions. There is no focal point to the works, rather the eye drifts from shape to shape, and pattern to pattern. Each object is balanced and harmonious within its arrangement. Secondly, Killeen empowered the viewer to assume their own interpretations, disrupting the authority of the artist and the tyranny of the frame. In doing so, Killeen presents a utopia in which all visual signs might be experienced as unique and inviolable—a world without hierarchy in which all particles would be granted their own personal space. 58
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Richard Killeen Measuring Tools 1993 acrylic and collage on aluminium signed Killeen and dated 1993 in brushpoint lower edge of panel 650 x 570mm (overall, dimensions variable) est
$25,000 — $35,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from Contemporary, Foreign and Collectable Art, International Art Centre, 28 April 2010, lot 5. Webb's
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Max Gimblett In the Depths of These Islands 2017 acrylic, aquasize, gold leaf and resin on canvas signed MAX GIMBLETT, dated 2017 and inscribed "IN THE DEPTHS OF THESE ISLANDS" in brushpoint verso 1000 x 1000mm (widest points) est
$50,000 — $80,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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Lot 25
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At Webb’s we champion artists; we see connections between artistic practice and how this extends across multiple disciplines – such as architecture. In 1968, renowned abstract artist Milan Mrkusich commissioned pioneering New Zealand architect Claude Megson to design a set of townhouses on Hapua Street. These became known as Mrkusich Townhouses, and the relationship between art and architecture is evident within each line and form composed within these homes. This catalogue includes a suite of stunning works by influential abstract artist Gordon Walters, from gouache works created as early as 1976 to recently released screenprint editions from the Walters Estate. These works speak to the reductive and refined abstract sentiment Walters was known for, which was shared by Mrkusich. The two artists even showed at many of the same dealer galleries during their careers. Our offering of works by Walters created an opportunity to present the suite within an architectural piece of the time. These photographs highlight the wider aesthetic investigation happening in New Zealand in the 1970s. Photographs by Sam Hartnett
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Lots 17, 18 & 25
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Lot 21
Lot 22
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Lots 18 & 25
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Lot 17
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Lot 23
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Gordon Walters Kapiti 1984 screenprint on paper, 11/75 signed Gordon Walters, dated '84 and inscribed 'Kapiti'/11/75 in graphite lower edge 760 x 555mm est
Literature William McAloon (editor), Gordon Walters: Prints + Design (Wellington: Adam Art Gallery Te Pataka Toi, 2004), 34.
$20,000 — $30,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
Exhibitions Gordon Walters: Prints + Design, Adam Art Gallery Te Pataka Toi, Wellington, 7 August - 10 October 2004.
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GORDON WALTERS – Rhythm of Regularity Essay by KELLY CARMICHAEL
There’s a terseness and refinement to the geometric works. They’re limited in colour, relying on neutral tones paired with contrast for their power, yet the energy and richness remains thanks to the dynamic relationships Walters creates between forms. Gordon Walters is a master of modernist abstraction. In his early work, Walters created configurations in which often curvilinear forms seem to jostle. However, his later practice offers a strict geometry and shapes that butt up against each other, powerfully claiming their place yet with a delicacy of vision achieved through careful chromatic and structural shifts. A revered figure in New Zealand, Walters was at the forefront of major developments in our local art history and an artist whose work was pivotal to its fiery cultural debates of the 1990s. Widely influential to his contemporaries and on a younger generation of artists, Māori and Pākehā alike, Walters is recognised for a long and productive career spanning five decades. Created in 1984, the print Kapiti comes some 30 years after the artist first began exploring the koru. This instantly recognisable curving bulb form from tā moko and kōwhaiwhai rafter painting is Walters’ trademark. Across decades and multiple works on paper and canvas he investigated the formal and abstract properties of this motif, shifting it from organic to strictly geometric and into the simple bars and circles we see in this artwork. Kapiti offers the characteristic evenly sized koru elements set out in parallel rows that we have come to associate with Walters painting. Each of Kapiti’s alternating horizontal stripes have circular endings, the rhythm of their regularity only occasionally interrupted by singular circles across the surface. Walters constantly revisited motifs and certain formal devices, repeatedly revising earlier compositions to endlessly investigate formal relationships. The comb, or sometimes referred to as sprocket-edged form, was one of the motifs that became key to his language of geometric form. This triangulated motif appears both vertically and horizontally in Walters’ works offering a Webb's
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strict and hard-edged geometry that simultaneously creates and undoes the space it sets out. Walters constantly queried and set up figure–ground ambiguities, contesting hierarchies and exploring the possibilities he saw contained within the interplay of positive and negative space. In the 1970s and 1980s Walters intensified the process by which his sources were rendered down into elemental forms. The Koru paintings may be Walters’ best-known works, but his interest in this motif reflects only a portion of his practice, less than half of his abstract work. His later works lean towards tightly painted geometric abstraction, in which pure shape and untextured brushwork further the artist’s translation of natural form into a purely abstract language. There’s a terseness and refinement to the geometric works. They’re limited in colour, relying on neutral tones paired with contrast for their power, yet the energy and richness remains thanks to the dynamic relationships Walters creates between forms. In his later work, simple and opposing blocks of colour create and elegant yet forceful drama across the art work’s surface. Their highly restricted elements allow formal, geometric relationships to take precedence. The late screen prints in this catalogue demonstrate iconic aspects of Walters’ practice. The clear divisions and separations of form, the asymmetry that set his practice apart, and a variety of tones and hues albeit in muted colours are presented in absolute flatness. This is a practice of clean lines and powerful stark contrasts, each line handpainted with elegant precision. In his constant reworking and pushing of compositional combinations and limits we see Walters’ mature practice and his ability to offer both tension and a seemingly effortless equilibrium. 70
19 Gordon Walters untitled 1987 gouache on paper dated 24-9-87 in graphite upper right 520 x 400mm
Gordon Walters untitled 1989 gouache on paper signed Gordon Walters and dated 89 in graphite lower left; inscribed 8-7-89 in graphite upper right 600 x 400mm
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$20,000 — $30,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
$20,000 — $30,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. 2021
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21 Gordon Walters Tahi 1969. printed 2021 screenprint on paper, 7/100 indented with Walters Estate blindstamp 1055 x 800mm
Gordon Walters untitled 1990 gouache and collage on paper signed Gordon Walters and dated 90 in graphite lower edge; inscribed 12—21—91 in graphite upper right 190 x 160mm
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$15,000 — $25,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
$10,000 — $16,000
Provenance Private collection, Nelson. December
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Gordon Walters untitled 1976 gouache on paper 148 x 117mm est
$35,000 — $55,000
Provenance Private collection, Wellington. Acquired from Peter McLeavey Gallery, Wellington, 1978. Webb's
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Gordon Walters untitled 1976 gouache on paper signed Gordon Walters and dated 76 in graphite lower edge; inscribed 12.10.76 in graphite upper right 260 x 330mm est
$30,000 — $40,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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25 Gordon Walters Geneology III 1971. printed 2020 screenprint on paper, 91/100 indented with Walters Estate blindstamp 1055 x 805mm
Gordon Walters Kura 1982 screenprint on paper, 50/150 signed Gordon Walters, dated 1982 and inscribed 50/159 "Kura" in graphite lower edge 615 x 495mm
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$15,000 — $20,000
Provenance Private collection. Webb's
$30,000 — $40,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. 2021
Exhibitions Gordon Walters: Prints + Design, Adam Art Gallery Te Pataka Toi, Wellington, 7 August - 10 October 2004. Literature William McAloon (editor), Gordon Walters: Prints + Design (Wellington: Adam Art Gallery Te Pataka Toi, 2004), 30.
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Pablo Picasso – Avant La Pique Essay by DAVID MASKILL
The broad strokes printed in the caramel base colour capture the energy and action of the scene in dramatic contrast to the black and dark brown colours printed from the other two blocks. Webb's
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Bulls and bullfighting were a recurring theme in Pablo Picasso’s practice. From the famously Surrealist Bull’s head sculpture made from a bicycle seat and handlebars in 1942 to the Minotaur subject, Picasso’s alter-ego, which runs right through his work in a variety of media. As a Spaniard, Picasso identified with both with the bull and its tormentors. For him, the bull represented the alpha male’s power and virility. At the same time, he acknowledges the human power to humiliate and subdue the animalistic urges of the creature. It was this tension that made the subject so central to his work. Avant la pique is from a set of five colour linocuts of bullfighting scenes produced in 1959. Picasso was a prolific printmaker, creating over 2,400 prints of which only 197 were linocuts. Picasso first attempted the linocut medium in 1955 at the age of 74 but within the space of only a few years he had mastered the technique and abandoned it altogether. The Bullfighter series was the last he made in the medium. Picasso’s earliest essay in the medium of linocut, Head of Jacqueline, from 1955 shows a rather hesitant hand gouging short strokes in the linoleum block, but becoming more fluid as he became familiar with the medium. By the time Picasso cut the three blocks for the Bullfighter series, the line has become assured and expressive. The picador on horseback is about to launch his pique at the bull which has lowered its head while the matador attempts to distract the animal with his cape. The broad strokes printed in the caramel base colour capture the energy and action of the scene in dramatic contrast to the black and dark brown colours printed from the other two blocks. The miracle is that he was able to achieve this on such a small scale. At a mere 16 by 22cm, the Titan of twentieth-century art has created an image which transcends its modest dimensions. Looking up close at the work, the viewer is transported to the dust and noise of the bull ring where the epic battle between man and beast is played out. 76
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Pablo Picasso Avant La Pique 1959 linocut on paper, 10/50 signed Picasso and inscribed 10/50 in graphite lower edge 165 x 225mm est
Literature Georges Bloch, Pablo Picasso; catalogue de l'oeuvre gravé et lithographié 1904-1967; Pablo Picasso, tome II: catalogue de l'oeuvre gravé 19661969 (Bern: Kornfeld und Klipstein, 1971), catalogue number 946.
$25,000 — $35,000
Provenance Private collection, Wellington. Webb's
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Stanley Palmer untitled 1994 oil on linen signed S. Palmer and dated .94 lower right 1100 x 1600mm est
$28,000 — $38,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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Toss Woollaston untitled c1965 oil on card signed Woollaston in brushpoint lower edge 440 x 590mm est
$35,000 — $45,000
Provenance Private collection, Lake Hawera. Gifted 1993. Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from Barry Lett Galleries, Auckland, 1965. Webb's
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Exhibitions Barry Lett Galleries, Auckland, 1965.
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Pat Hanly – Figure in Light 18 Essay by CONNIE DWYER
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Pat Hanly Figure in Light 18 1964 oil on canvas signed Hanly in graphite lower left, inscribed Figure in Light 18/Hanly 64 in ink verso 770 x 540mm est
$80,000 — $120,000
Provenance Private collection, Dunedin. Acquired from Contemporary New Zealand Paintings, Webb's, Auckland, 14 June 1990, lot 27. Webb's
Pat Hanly painted glorious, epicurean scenes with a natural ease. This is amply demonstrated in his Figures in Light series, which he created upon return to New Zealand in 1962 after a four-year stint in the United Kingdom. With divine, sun drenched colours and basking figures, these paintings have a joyous feel to them. In this series, which was prompted by visits to the bustling beaches of Auckland’s North Shore, Hanly set out to capture the brilliant light of the New Zealand summer – in sharp relief to the greyness of England. After settling back in Auckland, Hanly found himself jarred by the stark difference between the general tension of Cold War Europe, and the lounging, inward condition of New Zealanders. He describes his disbelief humorously, staggered by the nation ‘sitting around on its bums doing nothing’.1 Though this series captures more of a joie de vivre than his melancholic Massacre of the Innocents series produced while in Europe, it retains the niggling feeling of some dread lurking just out of frame. If Henri Matisse is to be believed, that art is like a good armchair in which one can relax, then Hanly’s painting is a comfortable armchair with its surrounds on fire. In Figure in Light 18, a peachy toned nude figure sits in an almost bashful pose, framed by a golden panel of sand, enlivened by dancing flecks of oranges and white. A dissected panel of skin tone on the lower edge suggests another figure out of shot. The painting has an uncomplicated beauty and sense of easy pleasures of summer to it, as many of the artist’s works do. Though he also often grappled with his social conscience, and awareness of the potential menace of the world beyond our shores. Hanly drew on international sources to bolster his distinctive New Zealand painting. The treatment of the figure references Francis Bacon, mediated by way of the Fauves’ saturated palette. This was a new method of conceptualising the medium in New Zealand, particularly when applied to the treatment of the landscape. This work is glorious in its bright, light discomfort. The glittering lux of sun drenched sand distracts from the grey shadow cast over the woman’s downturned expression. It is a moment of relief perhaps, the beach as escape or haven. This social context behind the painting adds an element of edginess, keeping it away from the clichéd idyllic New Zealand beach scene – featuring pohutukawa and sunglass-donning man over flaming barbeque.
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1 Pat Hanly in conversation with Hamish Keith, Art New Zealand 14, Summer 1979-80.
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Louise Henderson, Arab Portrait No.8 Essay by VICTORIA MUNN
Between 1956 and 1958, Louise Henderson travelled extensively in the Middle East. Her husband, Hubert, was working as a UNESCO education advisor, and the couple spent time in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Israel, Iran and Iraq. During this time, Henderson produced an impressive body of work responding to this new environment, including depictions of the Jerusalem cityscape, and a variety of figures, including street merchants, refugees, and women carrying water. Arab Portrait No.8 demonstrates Henderson's keen observations of the cultural life of Middle Eastern urban centres, both visual and artistic. Letters sent back to New Zealand comment on the colours, the architecture and the daily life of the cities she visited. Describing Baghdad, she wrote 'The new city is made of beautiful large streets with blocks of modern buildings designed by famous architects, Corbusier among them... and is already well advanced.' Henderson was interested in expressing the fundamental form of people she studied and encountered in the Middle East, and paid particular attention to the impact of their clothing on their perceived form. This is evidenced in Arab Portrait No. 8, in which the figure's garments are rendered with impressive economy. The thawb is simply depicted with a flat, white plane, and the keffiyeh (headdress), is represented by a thin black line intersecting the subject's forehead and falling down to his shoulders. The extreme flattening in Arab Portrait No.8 represents an interesting progression from Henderson's earlier Cubist work. As with her architectural Jerusalem series, she has moved away from the overlapping translucent planes and gentle tonal variation found in works produced during, and following, her experience at the Parisian Académie Frochot, under the tutelage 1 Louise Henderson, letter to Diane Henderson, 4 September 1957, Louise Henderson Archive, EH McCormick Research Library, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, RC 2018/4/4. 2 This constant of Louise Henderson’s practice and oeuvre was explored during the 2019-2020 survey exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Louise Henderson: From Life, in which Arab Portrait No.8 featured. 3 Louise Henderson in 'Portrait of Louise Henderson', Kaleidoscope, TVNZ, 30 September 1983.
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of Jean Metzinger. In Arab Portrait No.8 Henderson embraces a more rigid, formal, geometric style that demonstrates an impressive restraint, and a new dialect of the Cubist language. Yet in the way that the figure's forehead intersects with the mustard-coloured building framing him, Henderson continues her sensitive analysis of forms in space. Arab Portrait No.8 also encapsulates the underlying thread of Henderson's oeuvre: despite the progression in her style, Henderson's work retains one foot in representation, and consistently seeks to explore the human experience, and the essence of her subjects. Such an interest is also demonstrated in Henderson's correspondence and personal notes from her time in the Middle East, in which she comments on gender roles, politics, and tradition. Reflecting upon her time abroad, Henderson explained, 'I wanted what I thought was the real Middle East... and there the form of things interested me very much.' Such a statement suggests that, just as her time in the Middle East informed her artistic output and style in the mid-late 1950s, Henderson's encounter with this new environment was also strongly affected by her artistic perception. 30
Louise Henderson Arab Portrait No.8 1959 oil on canvas signed Louise Henderson and dated 1959 in brushpoint upper right est
$70,000 — $140,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Exhibitions Louise Henderson: From Life, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland, 2 November 2019 - 8 March 2020; Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Christchurch, 27 June - 11 October 2020. Literature Julia Waite, Lara Strongman, Felicity Strongman (editors), Louise Henderson: From Life (Auckland: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2019), 113.
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View of Mana Island from the trig point on Papakowhai Hill, Porirua.
Mana Island installed at Victoria University of Wellington, November 2021.
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Don Binney – Mana Island Essay by DAVID MASKILL
Binney’s confrontation with the landscape forms of Mana Island initiated a new direction in his work – images of islands, their sea and skyscapes in all their stark yet powerful solidity. Webb's
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I looked at Mana Island in the early 70s as I look at it now, as a magical sort of floating shape, just holding the space between the Titahi Bay tide water and the depth and pull of Cook Strait. It’s like a rugged, robust sentinel of landform, jutting out of the water, almost whale-like, and it has that wonderfully streamlined sort of resilience of form. It’s economic , almost torpedo-like, but static, stationary, anchored.1 Speaking in 2005 at the time of an exhibition of his Mana Island paintings at Pātaka Art + Museum, Binney recalls with extraordinary clarity his earlier impressions of the island which he encountered for the first time in 1970 when he was living and working in Paremata, north of Wellington on the Porirua Harbour. Having already said the last word on birds soaring over the landscape with his Pacific Frigate Bird series from 1968, Binney’s confrontation with the landscape forms of Mana Island initiated a new direction in his work – images of islands, their sea and skyscapes in all their stark yet powerful solidity. With his characteristic insight, art historian, Tony Green was the first to recognise this new direction in his review of an exhibition of Binney’s new work at the Barry Lett Galleries in 1972. Binney had been criticised by another reviewer for his use of “mannered” thick black outlines as seen in works such as Mana Island. Green argued that they served a central function in Binney’s new work – to anchor or “ground” the landscape forms in a deliberate reversal of the exhilarating weightlessness of his earlier bird paintings.2 Although characteristically abstracted, the view of Mana Island and Porirua Harbour in Mana Island is based on an actual view from the trig point on top of the hills of Papakōwhai above Paremata. From this vantage 85
point, Mana Island appears to almost hover above Cook Strait just as it does in the painting with the peaks of d’Urville Island and the South Island just visible in the far distance. It is the tension between Binney’s hard-edged abstracting style and a new appreciation of atmospheric perspective (the distant peaks are rendered in subtly modelled blues and greys) that gives Mana Island its spectacular effect of endless spatial recession. Of course, the enormous scale of the painting serves to reinforce this. At three and half metres across and two and half metres high, Mana Island is Binney’s largest creation. It was painted between June and October 1971 during Binney’s visiting lectureship in Victoria University of Wellington’s extension programme. During his residency, Binney spent time with fellow artists and writers at Bottle Creek. There, he worked alongside painter Robin White, poet Sam Hunt and historian Michael King. For a short time, this tiny enclave was the site of tremendous creative energy as both painters and writers struggled to say something new and vibrant about their relationship to place. Mana Island was a result of a sustained period of engagement with the subject. The previous year, in July 1970, Binney exhibited several drawings of Mana Island at Peter McLeavey Gallery. The same year he painted a smaller version of the subject, Mana Island from Titahi Bay, which was bought for New Zealand House in London and which is now, appropriately, in the collection of Pātaka Art + Museum in Porirua. So, Binney was able to bring all his familiarity with the subject to the painting of Mana Island, but to it he added an almost overwhelming scale. In 2005, Binney’s Mana Island painting was included in the exhibition Hills of Porirua at Pātaka Art + Museum (the only time it ever went on loan). Reviews in The Dominion Post, the Kapi Mana News and the Porirua City News all featured a photograph of the then sixty-five year old painter standing in front of the painting. Binney was clearly proud of his achievement in this particular work. The Dominion Post reviewer quoted him as saying, “I consider each viewer of any work that I achieve to be an occupant of the painting. Anybody who fronts up to a canvas I have authored is in a sense a figure of that landscape”.3 The sheer size of Mana Island affords the viewer the opportunity to experience Binney’s words in a way that no other of his works does. That is what makes it a masterpiece.
1 Don Binney, quoted in David Famularo, ‘Painting Porirua’, The Dominion Post, 7 October 2005, B8 2 See Tony Green, ‘Binney’s Black Lines’, Arts & Community, vol. 8, no. 5, nd. [1972], pp. 12-13. 3 Don Binney quoted in The Dominion Post, 7 October 2005 as in note 1 above.
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Exhibitions Hills of Porirua, Pātaka Art + Museum, Porirua, 2005.
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Don Binney Mana Island 1971 oil on canvas on board signed Don Binney, dated June - Oct 1971 in brushpoint lower right 2560 x 3490mm est
$500,000 — $800,000
Provenance Collection of Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association Trust, Wellington. Acquired directly from the artist, 1972. Webb's Webb's
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Literature David Famularo, ‘Painting Porirua’, The Dominion Post, 7 October 2005, B8. ‘Porirua a magnet for artists’, Kapi Mana News, 11 October 2005, 16 ‘Art icon going strong’, Porirua City News, 5 October 2005, 3. Tony Green, ‘Binney’s Black Lines’, Arts & Community, vol.8, no.5, nd. [1972], 12-13. Damian Skinner, Don Binney Ngā Manu/ Ngā Motu – Birds/Islands, (Auckland: Auckland University Press, 2003). Gregory O’Brien, Don Binney – Flight Path, (Auckland: Auckland University Press, forthcoming). Notes With thanks to Gregory O’Brien for sharing information and insight from his forthcoming book on Don Binney to be published by Auckland University Press; and to Sophie Thorn, Collection Officer at the Adam Art Gallery Te Pataka Toi, Victoria University of Wellington for sharing information on the painting and its history.
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Ian Scott – Lattice No. 53 Essay by JULIAN MCKINNON
Painted in white and blue, it sets up the subtle interplay his works are known for. The intersecting ‘threads’ within the lattice create a sense of over and under, while occupying the same plane. This creates a subtle tension in the visual space; the image has depth yet at the same time negates it. Webb's Webb's
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Ian Scott’s paintings are both distinctive to New Zealand and international in outlook. He worked in a range of styles, covering the abstract and the figurative, though he is perhaps best known for his Lattice paintings. These meticulous geometric grids feature intersecting diagonal lines in a mesh pattern – hence ‘lattice’. Many of them are brightly painted in block colours, often creating striking contrast within the artwork. In Scott’s deep exploration of this painting configuration, one can detect parallels to American hard edge abstract painting of the post-war period; artists such as Ellsworth Kelly, Frank Stella, and Kenneth Noland at times riffed on similar themes. Scott was born in England, though his family migrated to New Zealand in the early 1950s, when he was still a child. In the mid 1960s, he studied at Elam School of Fine Arts alongside Richard Killeen. Both artists experienced similar developmental arcs around this time, progressing from stylised figurative paintings into the abstract. American pop-art was an influence on Scott’s 1960s figurative paintings, though his interest in abstraction was quietly brewing. In the 1970s, he began producing non-pictorial geometric paintings, arriving at his lattice compositions in the latter part of that decade. When considering the significant international movements that informed the development of Scott’s Lattice works, one can detect a note of influence from the extraordinary Black Mountain College. This experimental place of higher learning existed in North Carolina from 1933 until 1957 and had an enduring influence on the art and culture of the United States. The art program at Black Mountain was run by Josef Albers, a notable abstract artist and theorist. His work on colour relationships, explored through hard-edged abstract paintings, was enormously influential on a generation of American abstract painters, including Kelly, Stella, and Noland. In Scott’s Lattice paintings, therefore, one can detect the distant influence of Albers. Nevertheless, these works are uniquely Scott’s, and unique to New Zealand. They have an artistic sensibility that resonates with the local context and its traditions of image and object. Lattice No. 53 is a distinctive example of this. Painted in white and blue, it sets up the subtle interplay his works are known for. The intersecting ‘threads’ within the lattice create a sense of over and under, while occupying the same plane. This creates a subtle tension in the visual space; the image has depth yet at the same time negates it. Over time, this offers a satisfying focus for visual contemplation. It is a confoundingly simple image, that presents a field of great depth and subtlety. Scott’s paintings are held in every major institutional collection in the country, and his Lattice works are among the most prized. While all of his paintings are compelling, perhaps his greatest legacy is in the delicate riddle of these geometric wonders. 8888
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Ian Scott Lattice No. 53 1978 acrylic on canvas signed Ian Scott, dated Sept. 1978 and inscribed "LATTICE NO. 53"/68"X68" in ink verso 1730 x 1730mm est
$60,000 — $80,000
Literature Michael Dunn, Ian Scott Paintings: 1968-1982 (Waitākere: Lopdell Gallery, 1991), 13.
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
Exhibitions Ian Scott Paintings: 1968-1982, Lopdell Gallery, Waitakere, 26 September - 27 October 1991.
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Robin White – Porirua Harbour I Essay by CHARLES NINOW
Robin White once stated, “What I paint depends on where I am”.1 This statement, in an article that she wrote for an early issue of Art New Zealand, is perhaps the most- conclusive and well-rounded summation of her practice to ever be published. While her paintings are able to effortlessly function as a distilled commentary about the nation’s civic and social climate at the time in which they were made, the focus of her practice has always been centred in her immediate environment: the places and people that she understood best. White’s landscape painting of the 1970s often conformed to a set of conventions she developed. Generally, these works presented a supple, unpopulated hinterland nestled between the foreshore and mountainous terrain. These images carry with them an implicit criticism of modern New Zealand’s taming of the landscape through ongoing urban sprawl. Porirua Harbour I presents a view across the shorelines of the Porirua Harbour, as seen from the suburb of Elsdon. This was the location of Mana College, the first school where White taught after graduating from teachers’ college in 1968. While White has presented the viewer with a landscape devoid of any human habitation, the landforms that she has chosen to include carry with them an implicit narrative that delves deep into the history of the region. Porirua was originally planned as a satellite city of Wellington in the 1940s that was to consist mainly of state housing. However, industrial development led to an accelerated growth in population and the eventual reclamation of a tract of land on the southern tip of the Harbour. Porirua Harbour I appears as a double-format image where two separate compositions are sandwiched one on top of the other. However, those familiar with the topography of the area will recognise that the two distinctive strips of land – Whitirea Park reserve in the foreground and the distinctive hill shoreline of Plimmerton behind – would have been ideally observed from the corner of Wineera Drive, at the edge of the reclaimed land. 1 White, Robin. “Art and conservation are synonymous”, Art New Zealand Spring 1977, 40. 2 Taylor, Alister. “Perspective: Robin White talks to Alister Taylor”, in Alister Taylor and Deborah Coddington (ed.), Robin White: New Zealand Painter (Martinborough: Alister Taylor, 1981), 10.
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It was during her first year in Porirua that White learned to stretch canvas and working on this new substrate immediately changed the way in which she painted. The soft, absorbent surface of the canvas dampened her approach to laying down paint. It was also around this time that White began to pay specific and careful attention to the way in which her images were assembled or, in her words, “the feeling for the structure of painting, the idea of contrast, how a painting is put together.”2 White’s three-year tenure at Mana College was a formative period in her career that saw her construct images that relied more on their own internal logic than on a desire to recreate a particular vantage. In Porirua Harbour I, there is a form of foreshortening at play where the expanses of sea between the landforms are extended and reshaped so that they are able to be present within the image. Further, subtly crafted shading has been applied to the very lip of the landforms so they recede into space in a manner that is not governed by the rules of perspective. Porirua Harbour I is an exemplary embodiment of White’s new image-making strategies which positioned her, along with Don Binney, at the forefront of a second wave of modern painting that emerged in the 1970s and sought to update the themes propagated by regionalist New Zealand painting in the 1930s.
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Robin White Porirua Harbour I 1970 oil on canvas signed Robin White and dated '70 in brushpoint lower right; signed Robin White and inscribed Porirua Harbour I in ink verso 765mm x 610mm est
$200,000 — $300,000
Provenance Private collection, Newcastle. Acquired from Important Paintings & Contemporary Art, Webb's, Auckland, 31 July 2012, lot 21; Collection of Peter and Syliva Siddell. 90
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Don Binney – Te Henga Essay by JO BRAGG
This work amply demonstrates Binney’s artistic vision and his control of the medium of paint. It is tribute to his artistic determination and his effectiveness as a maker of images. Though, Te Henga also speaks to something deeper; it preserves the weight of its own history in art historical terms, and also captures the history of the land. Webb's Webb's
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Located on the west coast of Tāmaki Makaurau, Te Henga beach is a site of both scenic beauty and historic significance. A settlement area for the local iwi Te Kawerau a Maki, the beach is well documented to have been a pā site and a site of canoe landings. Te Henga is, therefore, tapu. The site is rich in history, and features an abundance of native vegetation surrounded by the rugged terrain of the Waitākere ranges. This combination of factors provide context as to why prominent painter Don Binney made the beach a recurrent theme of his paintings throughout his career. This example was painted in 1973, and captures the essence of the distinctive west coast beach that inspired the artist's visual imagination for so long. In the years leading up to this painting, Binney had already arrived at his signature motif – a bird in flight soaring high above landscape and ocean. In the 1970s, however, the bird exited the frame and for a time landscape became his dominant subject. Even without his signature ‘Binney’ bird, this painting is instantly recognisable. Notable as a piece definitive of this era in his career. All in all, Binney’s artistic output spanned 40 years of consistent production. That time saw him become one of the nation’s most revered painters, and a notable figure of the distinctive regionalist art movement that defined much of Aotearoa’s artistic identity in the 20th century. Binney’s mastery of paint is evident in the restrained composition and controlled brushwork of his distinctive paintings. The parallel use of immaculately painted flat surfaces and clean black lines that divide earth from sky are hallmarks, not only of Binney’s signature style, but of a style that came to define the very act of being a painter in Aotearoa. Te Henga which depicts Ihumoana Island, Kotau and Erangi point – with Waitākere Bay nestled out of sight but nevertheless present in between – proves to be no exception. This work amply demonstrates Binney’s artistic vision and his control of the medium of paint. It is tribute to his artistic determination and his effectiveness as a maker of images. Though, Te Henga also speaks to something deeper; it preserves the weight of its own history in art historical terms, and also captures the history of the land. It encapsulates the incredible beauty, power and awe-inspiring capacity of nature. Specifically speaking to the magnificence of Te Henga, it demonstrates Binney’s reverence for the natural environment as an endless source of inspiration. This work is an excellent distillation of the elements that make Binney such an esteemed artist in Aotearoa art history. 9292
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Don Binney Te Henga 1973 oil on canvas on board signed DON BINNEY and dated 1973 in brushpoint lower right 635 x 763mm est
$80,000 — $160,000
Provenance Private collection, Dunedin. Webb's
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Grahame Sydney – 2.40 Mailbag (Maniototo Plain, Naseby) Essay by NEIL TALBOT
Views of the Central Otago landscape have been Sydney’s strongest and most recurring theme. Paintings of these southern vistas speak to the power of nature, and to the specific character of the environment that he has long called home. Grahame Sydney is one of New Zealand’s greatest living painters. His distinctive images of southern landscapes are widely admired; so to is his virtuoso skill. His paintings are among the most detailed and technically skilled by any New Zealand painter, and he has enjoyed decades of celebrated and sought after painting output – a testament to his skill, vision, and to the vigour of the environment that has shaped his perceptions. Views of the Central Otago landscape have been Sydney’s strongest and most recurring theme. Paintings of these southern vistas speak to the power of nature, and to the specific character of the environment that he has long called home. Restrained and tightly composed images that beautifully capture the mood, atmosphere, and play of light of New Zealand’s south is his signature style. 2.40 Mailbag is an excellent example of Sydney’s early work. Created in 1974, it shows a distinctive Central Otago landscape, meticulously painted in egg tempera. What does this painting, with its stark, empty territory reveal? Like many of Sydney’s paintings, it seems to speak to a particular dimension of the New Zealand cultural psyche – striking sombre notes of isolation, but also of desolate beauty. In a similar vein, one can point to the gravelly tone of Owen Marshall’s literature, or the brooding disquiet of Brad McGann’s 2004 film In My Father’s Den (based on Maurice Gee’s 1972 novel of the same title). 2.40 Mailbag shows a wooden shed set against a moody sky, which is ready to spill icy rain onto a frozen tract of grassland. A small green bag is flapping in the breeze – perhaps it is the titular mailbag. A crooked post to the side reaches up, its top out of view. This device cleverly breaks the picture plane, adding a dynamic element to the painting, injecting energy and movement to the fastidiously rendered landscape. Altogether, the image effortlessly conveys the splendid isolation of New Zealand’s deep south, capturing its contemplative mood. Webb's
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Sydney himself recalls this painting well. In a recent letter, he said, “The 2.40 Mailbag painting is one of the very first I did at the start of my professional career in mid-1974. I had returned from UK in May, in time for my 26th birthday, and Peter Webb had signed me up for an Auckland show within 10 days of my arriving home. I see by my tatty painting diary that it was the first one I completed during my 3-month winter stay in a little cottage in Naseby, where I went soon after the surprise visit from Peter, during which he gave me the extraordinary promise that he would buy everything I completed : " You finish them I'll buy them," which he did. With that guarantee from Peter I decided I'd better get serious and leave my home bedroom studio in Dunedin and go and be a real painter , all alone in the Central Otago heartland, which I knew was going to be my major focus (along with the Otago Peninsula). I rented a friend's cottage in Naseby and spent three winter months there, very isolated and lonely; it was a terribly cold winter and I spent most of my time chopping wood for the coal range, when not driving around doing drawings. My brother had loaned me a car, so at least I was mobile. I drew the first studies for the Wedderburn paintings during that time, and the drawings for this 2.40 Mailbag tempera, which depicts a schoolkids' bus shelter with the afternoon mailbag from a nearby farm slung from a hook, waiting for the rural post to collect it. A bitter day, frigid wind blowing the bag around, another snowstorm approaching. My diary shows that I did the painting in what is known as Kettle's Cottage, Naseby, that July, 1974.” The work was shown in the exhibition Grahame Sydney: Paintings & Drawings held at Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch, between November 17 1976 and January 5 1977. It has not been on the market since then. Clearly prized, this painting speaks in Sydney’s distinct tongue to the unique experience of our remote and remarkable homeland.
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Grahame Sydney 2.40 Mailbag (Maniototo Plain, Naseby) 1974 egg tempera on board signed Grahame C. Sydney and dated 1974 in brush point lower right; inscribed "2.40 MAILBAG"./(MANIOTOTO PLAIN, NASEBY)/GRAHAME C. SYDNEY/ EGG TEMPERA ON (SIZED) GESSO/ DRAWING BEGUN 5 JULY,-/DRAWING COMPLERED 24 JULY, 1974/5 JULY - 24 JULY, 1974 in ink verso 440 x 600mm est
Exhibitions Grahame Sydney: Painting and Drawings, Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch, November 1976 - January 1977.
$80,000 — $160,000
Provenance Private collection, London. Webb's Webb's
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John Reynolds The Light of Labours Lost 2007 paint marker, spraypaint and acrylic on canvas signed REYNOLDS, dated 2007 and inscribed acrylic and oil and paint marker on canvas /(title from Lucky’s rant ‘Waiting for Godot’ Samuel Beckett.)/The Light of The Labours Lost in brushpoint verso 2200 x 1840mm est
$22,000 — $32,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's Webb's
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Shane Cotton Diamond Lands 2017 acrylic on paper signed Shane W Cotton, dated 2017 and inscribed DIAMOND LANDS in graphite lower right 1650 x 980mm est
$26,000 — $36,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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Shane Cotton – Ruarangi Essay by MISONG KIM
Shane Cotton (Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Hine, Te Uri Taniwha) has long been recognised as a painter of place, albeit not in the conventional landscape tradition. For his contribution to the visual arts, Cotton was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand order of Merit in 2012. His paintings of the 1990s and early 2000s came to be recognised for their abstracted integration of Māori and colonial references to examine the narratives of a place, typically in Te Tai Tokerau Northland where Cotton’s iwi Ngāpuhi is based. Conflating symbols which reflect the entanglement of Māori, Pākehā and religious histories, Cotton interrogates the stories held within whenua and attempts to translate these through image making. One of the artist’s last paintings in oils before turning to acrylics from 2000, Ruarangi comes from this very period. Presenting a rich, poignant vision of the underworld and its plunging depths, Ruarangi examines the nature of the horizon as a space for meetings and encounters. The title refers to the name of a place in Te Tai Tokerau, but also translates to ‘the meeting place of sea and sky’, or ‘double heaven’.1 Emphasising the horizon concept is Cotton’s division of the composition into a neat, offset grid formed by two thin intersecting lines—obstructing a clear view of the black silhouetted landscape, as though peering through a rifle scope. These lines could also allude to a crucifix, the meeting of the sea and sky, or the descent from the sky by Cotton’s Ngāti Rangi tūpuna. Fragments of text around the canvas give clues to the places and narratives in discussion—Ruarangi headlines the top right, while a caption beginning with ‘Nau mai, haere mai’ running along the bottom of the canvas offers a message of welcome. Cotton’s distinct ‘New Zealand gothic’ style is visible in the gothic script labels of the silhouettes of Pouerua on the left, and Ōhaeawai on the right—both former pā sites at his ancestral whenua. A sliver of dawn sky illuminates the top edge of the canvas, as does the white bird of Taiamai in flight, skirting the centre right horizon. The bird of Taiamai, whose name translates as ‘towards us from 1 Shane Cotton, (Wellington: City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi, 2004), 28.
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the sea’, recurs in other works around this period as the symbolic guardian of the region from which Cotton’s hapū originates, in an acknowledgement of whakapapa. Startlingly similar to his contemporary Ralph Hotere’s Black Painting 1: Red on Black (1968–69), Cotton’s Ruarangi can also be seen in part as an effort to insert his practice firmly in the dialogues within New Zealand painting, and in particular Māori art practice. Working alongside contemporaries such as Robert Jahnke and Peter Robinson, the riffs and similarities between the works of these practitioners illustrate the developments and shared sympathies of the wider painting discourse in Aotearoa’s artistic ecosystem. Elegant, austere and all-consuming, Ruarangi lures the viewer towards a spiritual representation of land, bridging the division between the realms of sea and sky, and transcending geographical notions of place alongside an ever-present colonial gaze.
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Shane Cotton Ruarangi 2000 oil on canvas signed S COTTON and dated 2000 in brushpoint lower right; inscribed RUARANGI in brushpoint upper left 1800 x 1600mm est
$65,000 — $95,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland.
Exhibitions Te Timatanga: From Eden to Ohaewai, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, 26 August - 23 October 2000; Shane Cotton: Survey 1993 - 2003, City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi, 17 July - 19 October 2003. Literature Justin Paton, Te Timatanga: From Eden to Ohaewai (Dunedin: Dunedin Public Art Gallery, 2000), unpaginated; Lara Strongman (editor) Shane Cotton (Wellington: City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi, 2004), 79.
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Shane Cotton – Affco Gold Essay by MISONG KIM
Founded in 1904, AFFCO Holdings Limited—also known as Auckland Farmers Freezing Company, or AFFCO— is one of Aotearoa’s largest meat processors. In 1917, AFFCO established a processing plant in Moerewa in Te Tai Tokerau Northland, a plant which still stands today, and is the region’s largest employer. I remember driving through the town along State Highway 1 on a road trip earlier this year. Geographically speaking, it’s one of those ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ places—humbly signposted, and bypassed in the same length of time for about three or four songs to play on the radio. Moerewa is considered a service town for Northland’s farming industry, and the AFFCO plant is its somewhat comical landmark—a sprawling industrial structure occupying a place with a predominantly Māori population of less than 2,000. AFFCO and Moerewa were significantly impacted by economic deregulation in the 1980s, along with the share market crash of 1987. Unemployment soared and the town’s population declined—the effects of which are still noticeable today. Understanding the significance of AFFCO in Te Tai Tokerau becomes useful when looking at Shane Cotton’s 1989 painting, Affco Gold. Born in 1964, Cotton (Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Hine, Te Uri Taniwha) grew up in Te Awakairangi Hutt Valley, on the opposite end of the North Island to which his Ngāpuhi iwi and Ngawha marae is based. His father left Kawakawa in Te Tai Tokerau for the Hutt Valley in the late 1950s, during a period of significant Māori migration from rural to urban areas. Frequent family holidays up north were formative influences on Cotton’s practice, with the entwined, complex histories of Ngāpuhi and early European missionaries shaping a visual vernacular distinct to the region. Painted in the year following the artist’s graduation from Ōtautahi’s Ilam School of Fine Arts, Affco Gold pinpoints a pivotal moment near the beginning of Cotton’s artistic career. In many ways, this work bridges the thematic and stylistic shifts between Cotton’s abstraction of microscopic organisms in his ‘biomorphic’ period of the late 1980s, and his sepia-toned, symbolically loaded abstracts and landscapes of the early to mid1990s, which saw further deconstruction and conflation of Māori and colonial iconography. Webb's
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In Affco Gold, various ambiguous flattened shapes are arranged across the canvas, which is dominated by fleshy tones and warm, earthy ochres. The title hints at the forms’ identities—likely animal parts and innards. A soft pink stomach-like shape is suspended on the right, while a pair of kidneys or lungs rest atop a blood-red form to the left. While Cotton’s intention with Affco Gold isn’t immediately evident, his works in the years following would suggest that this work forms a part of a personal series exploring visual representations of Ngāpuhi histories, while pushing new directions in postmodern New Zealand painting. Depending on which direction you are travelling, the highway along Moerewa will see you through to Kawakawa or Ōhaeawai—both places of significance to Cotton, and referenced in later works of the 1990s and 2000s. Seeing Affco Gold in the context of Cotton’s wider practice evokes a similar sense of traversing the artist’s homelands through changes in Aotearoa’s economic and political landscapes. Over 30 years on, Affco Gold still resonates as an examination of bicultural identity, and reinvigorates thought around entangled Māori and Pākehā visual, economic and cultural narratives.
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Shane Cotton Affco Gold 1989 oil on canvas signed S W Cotton, dated 1989 and inscribed "Affco Gold" in brushpoint verso 2000 x 1600mm est
$80,000 — $100,000
Provenance Private collection, Wellington. Notes This painting was a winning entry in the Canterbury Society of Arts gallery competition.
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Bill Henson – Just Beneath the Surface Essay by NEIL TALBOT
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Bill Henson Untitled 1985-86 c-type print, 5/20 signed B Henson, dated 1985/86 and inscribed IMAGE #71'8' EDITION 5/20 'UNTITLED' in ink lower edge 1095 x 900mm est
$25,000 — $35,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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Bill Henson is an internationally acclaimed Australian contemporary photographer. His work has been exhibited in major institutions including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. He represented Australia at the 1995 Venice Biennale, and frequently exhibits photographs on the international stage. The two works by Henson under discussion here reveal two distinct sides to his practice – representations of portraiture and commercial imagery. These photographs date from the 1980s, an early period when Henson established himself as the poster-boy of Australian and international photographic practice. Both photographs are untitled c-type prints. The first presents an image of a young woman who is demure. The figure in this image appears youthful, her eyes are downcast. Starkly contrasting shadow and light frame her face, adding to the drama of the image. This chiaroscuro (light-dark) effect is something Henson is widely known for. The second photograph engages with Henson’s fascination with commercial imagery, slick advertisements for highly visible brands such as Caltex and Food Mart. The intentional soft-focus effect of this photograph contrasts with ultra-high resolution nature of commercial imagery, in a sense subverting the apparent reference to commercial representation. Henson’s composition and timing also introduces a visually sinister element to these apparently benevolent brands. The dark and brooding clouds in the upper section of the image again subverting the commercial slickness of the brands, negating their normalcy, and prompting the viewer to question their ubiquitous presence in the market. Henson seems to be asking the viewer to look at these familiar signs in a new way and to question their presence in their visual landscape. 102
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His photographs invite one to fix their gaze just beneath the surface, at a realm of possibility and nuance. This, ultimately, is the purpose of all great art.
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Bill Henson Untitled 1985-86 c-type print, 15/20 signed Bill Henson, dated 1985/86 and inscribed IMAGE #76'C' Print # 15/20/ UNTITLED in ink lower edge 1365 x 1150mm est
$25,000 — $35,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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These photographs have an aesthetic that is easy to enjoy, with their tightly composed images and eloquent use of chiaroscuro. It is his ability to set up such dissonances, along with his technical mastery of the medium, that has brought Henson enduring international acclaim. Henson is widely regarded as one of the greats of contemporary photography. In a widely circulating quote, Henson purportedly stated, “In every form of art, you really want the experience of the images to transcend the medium, for the medium to disappear into the greater experience of viewing the work. So that you forget you are looking at a painting, or a photograph.” With Henson’s photographs, this experience of the perceptual sublime is made accessible. One can slip readily into a place of contemplation, savouring the contrast, the aesthetic, and the content of the imagery. In these two photographs, Henson presents the viewer with content that is thought provoking, though he does not take a didactic stance with that content. What it means is open to individual interpretation. Though, naturally, to say that an artwork can mean anything soon renders it meaningless. In aesthetic and content, Henson presents enough for an inquisitive mind to go looking for answers. His photographs invite one to fix their gaze just beneath the surface, at a realm of possibility and nuance. This, ultimately, is the purpose of all great art. 104
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Séraphine Pick – Burning Question Essay by VICTORIA MUNN
1 Allan Smith, "Guten Morgen/Gute Nacht" in Séraphine Pick, edited by Felicity Milburn and Lara Strongman (Christchurch: Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, 2009), 55. 2 Felicity Milburn, Scratching Skin (Christchurch: Robert McDougall Art Gallery, 2008), unpaginated.
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In Séraphine Pick's Burning Question, the viewer is presented with an enticing composition of figures, objects, words and painterly speckles, all united in two enormous, enveloping canvases. Our eye progresses around the picture plane, uncovering women's faces, engaged bodies, crockery, an overturned chair and heavy black shoes among the imagery. Burning Question represents an important moment in Pick's oeuvre when, in the mid-late 1990s, she turned to the ethereal backgrounds and personal iconography which would continue to thread through her later work. While some imagery found within Burning Question - the pair of boots, for example - retains clarity and solidity, the majority of the forms are rendered with a sketchy, ephemeral quality. Some passages are barely distinguishable, with the faint pencil lines painted out to varying degrees. This gives the forms a sense of lightness and impermanence, and requires the viewer to squint to discern them. This variable definition speaks to the spectrum of human recollection; some memories consistently steadfast and impressively clear, others foggy and indistinct, shifting in and out of our consciousness. Not every object depicted necessarily carries import or significance for Pick. Domestic items, like the radio cropped at the bottom-right of the composition, suggest the unexpected permanence that seemingly inconsequential objects can have in our memories, their traces remaining long after the objects themselves have become obsolete. Although often evanescent in nature, Pick's imagery plays an important role in the composition of Burning Question. Described by Allan Smith as pictorial scaffolding, it is this dreamlike, hazy imagery that draws the viewer in, and enables Pick to tap into her intuition, her imagination, and explore the intangible nature of memory.1 But while Pick's imagery is undoubtedly personal, the forms are not bound to a rigid narrative. While, towards the centre of the composition, I find Jenga blocks, others may see outdoor bricks or, perhaps more accurately, the shoebox motif often found in Pick's work. Although she appreciates this uncertainty can cause some unease in the viewer's experience, Pick has described the ambiguous quality of her imagery as a conscious decision. 'I try not to pin things down', she explained, 'so people can make up a narrative out of their own experience.'2 Without the bold outlines, the use of familiar colours, or a recognisable setting, the viewer is left to decipher the imagery for themselves, informed by their own histories, memories and imagination. In this way, then, works such as Burning Question have an impressive power. They serve as archives of memories - not just Pick's, but the viewer's, too. Because with every form we encounter in Pick's work, as individuals we can draw out a unique memory or association, or draw upon our own imagination and experiences. Pick's approach results in works personal not only for the artist, but also the viewer, and means Burning Question is open to infinite interpretations. 106
Exhibitions Séraphine Pick, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Christchurch, 23 July - 23 November 2009; Scratching Skin, Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch, 5 June - 12 July 1998.
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Séraphine Pick Burning Question 1997 oil and graphite on canvas signed Séraphine Pick and dated OCT 1997 in graphite lower right 1524 x 3658mm est
Literature Felicity Milburn and Lara Strongman (editors), Séraphine Pick (Christchurch: Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, 2009), 58; Felicity Milburn, Scratching Skin (Christchurch: Robert McDougall Art Gallery, 2008), front cover.
$120,000 — $180,000
Provenance Private collection, Wellington. Webb's Webb's
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Séraphine Pick I've Been Told 1997 acrylic on canvas signed S.Pick, dated 97 and inscribed I've Been Told in bushpoint lower edge; signed S Pick and dated Oct 97 in graphite verso 300 x 810mm (overall) est
$30,000 — $40,000
Provenance Private collection, Wellington. Webb's Webb's
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Tony Fomison Ready To Go 1988 oil on canvasboard signed Fomison, dated 1988, and inscribed "Ready to Go"/at Lincoln St, Grey Lynn Auckland in ink verso; handwritten letter from the artist affixed verso 250 x 495mm est
$55,000 — $75,000
Provenance Private collection, Ashburton. Acquired from the Loft Gallery, Motueka, 1988. Webb's
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The Estate of L. Budd – The Veiled Self 1–5 Essay by AMY WENG
Examining a work from the Estate of L. Budd is akin to stepping into a recently abandoned space. Her works exude an invisible presence, whether in the form of a disembodied voice transmitting to the audience through an analogue radio or via the chaotic handwritten monologues scrawled across well-worn books and old blinds. Known for her dystopian site-specific installations that mimic institutional forms of architecture and visually spare paintings and sculptures, L. Budd is a chimerical figure amongst Aotearoa’s leading post-object artists, resisting classification and attempts at interpretation. Described as an expressive minimalist, the artist utilises materials saturated in the ebb and flow of knowledge. Publication, diagrams, old classroom furniture, television sets, radio broadcasts, and xeroxes–as well as reusing works from their own oeuvre– are repurposed in order to examine the ‘aura’ of objects, conjuring each item’s associated histories in order to gestures towards the ever shifting historical conditions that shape ideas of individuality and the community. The Veiled Self 1-5, 1997, is a singularly representative works that touches on a number of ideas that the artist has engaged with over the course of four decades. Presented as a series of five large blinds painted in a bruised pink colour, The Veiled Self asks probing questions pertaining to the self, and the division between the body and soul, word and meaning. The works exude a presence–or rather an absence: the yellowed fabric attests to the passage of time and there is a lingering whiff of incense. The works appear to speak to the viewer through the artists’ chaotic hand. If we are thoroughly dissatisfied with the body and long to have the soul in isolation, when this happens would it not be entirely reasonable to panic? No-fear, nopanic., These words read as an abstracted existential monologue, at once playful, enquiring and self-assuring. Yet whose presence is harder to define. The Webb's
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use of blinds is literally and metaphorically a means of obscuring and shielding ‘the self’, and adds to the theatrical, even mediumistic, quality of the work. The Veiled Self relates to earlier works by the artist that utilise proto-feminist motifs such as ‘the disembodied body’. With these works, the artist erased and wrote over existing texts in order to rewrite history with a female voice. In The Veiled Self, this strategy is used to present a voice that speaks to itself. In later works by the artist, radios and electrical systems are used to tune into the cosmic order. These directly relate to early American spiritualists movements who saw telegrams and electric fields as arenas for psychic communion. The Veiled Self then is an early exploration of this telepathic notion by L. Budd, channelling an invisible, occult entity, whose very being in the work seems to be to mystify rather than provide clarity. It signals the development of the artist’s later dissolution into the masses. Even after almost 25 years since the works inception, The Veiled Self intrigues precisely because of its resistance to definition and identification, pushing the limits of what art might be. The work never gives away its secrets, it resides in the unknown and the unknowable, a work that makes us ‘whirl around in associations’. In this sense, The Veiled Self is also timeless, at once historic and futuristic, a portal or vantage point from which we can look forwards and back in time, circling yet never coming to rest. The works of L. Budd, post-material conceptual artist, are held in the collections of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, the Govett- Brewster Art Gallery, and in both local and international private collections. L. Budd was a member of the art collective et al. which was awarded the Walters Prize in 2004 and which represented Aotearoa at the 2005 Venice Biennale. 110
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The Estate of L. Budd The Veiled Self 1-5 1997 lead, graphite, fixative and liquitex on blinds 2120 x 4820mm (overall) est
$30,000 — $60,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington, 1997. Webb's Webb's
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Ann Robinson – Four Vessels Essay by MISONG KIM
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Ann Robinson Side Carved Flax Pod # 2 1997 glass and lead crystal signed Robinson, dated 1997 and inscribed NZ #2 with incision on base 350 x 380 x 250mm (widest points)
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$25,000 — $35,000
Provenance Private collection, Gisborne. Acquired from FHE Galleries, Auckland, 2005. Webb's
Ann Robinson Plain Pod 1996 glass and lead crystal signed Robinson, dated 96 and inscribed NZ with incision on base 340 x 370 x 210mm (widest points) $25,000 — $35,000
Provenance Private collection, Gisborne. Acquired from FHE Galleries, Auckland, 2005. December
Ann Robinson’s glass vessels reflect the pinnacle of craftsmanship. Perfectly formed with barely a hint of their handmade origins, they are unapologetically, masterfully objects of craft. The result of decades of experimentation and refinement, Robinson’s command of the highly technical, time-intensive art form has led to her international recognition as a leading figure in studio glass and lost wax casting. She was twice the recipient of the Philips Glass Award in 1984 and 1986, and won the Winstone Biennale Award for Craft in 1987. Her practice has been the subject of major national survey exhibitions, including Pacific Rim: Ann Robinson’s Glass (2002) at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, and Casting Light: A Survey of Glass Castings 19811997 (1998) at the Dowse Art Museum, which toured Auckland Art Gallery in the same year. One of Aotearoa’s pioneering glass artists, Ann Robinson (born 1944) is primarily self-taught. Growing from her experience in bronze casting—a skill she developed at the Auckland School of Art in the 1960s, Robinson has worked with glass since the 1980s. She gained a Diploma of Fine Arts from Auckland University in 1980, and in the same year co-founded the Sunbeam Glass Works with Garry Nash and John Croucher. With the relatively recent introduction of glass art practice to New Zealand from Europe and the United States, a number of related factors including the small number of practitioners, high expense, and limitation of facilities, materials and expertise, meant that glass artists tended to work in isolation. The opening of the Sunbeam Glass Works provided a rare opportunity for three practitioners to work in tandem through the 1980s, and it was during this period that Robinson learned glass blowing and refined her casting process. The centuries-old techniqe of cire perdue, or lost wax casting, became Robinson’s specialty, and the method by which the four vessels discussed here have been created. Through trial and error, Robinson settled on a formula of 45% lead crystal glass to achieve the best casting results, minimising breakages and allowing for increased experimentation with colour. Robinson’s commitment to the exploration of the historic vessel form—as a transmitter, a receiver, a womb, a crucible, the sky, the world—along with its ritualistic, religious or functional potential—is reflected in the way she works in series, usually producing multiple iterations of a vessel design. A glimpse of the scope of 112
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Robinson’s commitment to the exploration of the historic vessel form—as a transmitter, a receiver, a womb, a crucible, the sky, the world—along with its ritualistic, religious or functional potential—is reflected in the way she works in series, usually producing multiple iterations of a vessel design.
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Ann Robinson Shell Pod # 7 1997 glass and crystal signed Robinson, dated 1997 and inscribed #7 NZ with incision on base 310 x 350 x 250mm (widest points)
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$25,000 — $35,000
Ann Robinson Lansdcape Vessel 2009 glass and crystal signed Robinson, dated 2009 and inscribed 1/1 NZ with incision on base 400 x 465 x 205mm (widest points) $35,000 — $50,000
Provenance Private collection, Gisborne. Acquired from FHE Galleries, Auckland, 2005.
Provenance Private collection, Gisborne. Acquired from FHE Galleries, Auckland, 2010.
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Robinson’s forms is indicated across the four vessels. The ‘pod’ vessels form part of a series of shapes developed around the mid-1990s, originally as the thicker Oval Bowls and tangential to the artist’s production of the distinctive new ‘scallop’ and ‘crucible’ bowls. Intrigued by the oval form, Robinson experimented with the shape, pleased with the freedom it allowed from the bowl lip. Plain Pod presents a cross-section of an oval vessel in ‘methylated spirits purple’, while the more recently produced Landscape Vessel (2010) possesses a more curvaceous form, recalling qualities of Modernist sculpture and loosely reminiscent of the works of Constantin Brâncuși or Henry Moore. Robinson’s career has seen the development of a studio glass practice that is distinct to New Zealand. Here we might imagine the contours of the hills mirrored in Landscape Vessel, or see the criss-crossing harakeke (New Zealand flax) leaves defined in deep grooves on the Side Carved Flax Pod’s outer surface. Shell Pod is covered in curved ridges like a seashell, rendered in oceanic, jewel-blue glass. Robinson recognises the importance of opacity and light when working with glass. Citing the vibrant tones of the native bush and coast as influences for colouring her vessels, she tends to works in a single colour for each object, enhancing its impact through the simplification of form and mattefinished surfaces. Robinson has taught her craft at the Canberra School of Art in Australia, as well as the renowned Pilchuck Glass School in the United States. She has exhibited internationally, including in the US, Europe, Australia, and Japan. Her work is held in significant public and private collections worldwide, including the Corning Museum of Glass, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. A far cry from the utilitarian, mass-produced manifestations of glass we encounter in everyday life, Robinson’s pods and vessels offer an elegant, refined vision of light and colour. Would-be functional objects are elevated into purposefully shaped abstract forms with the capacity to disrupt and alter the spaces they occupy through absorbing and reflecting light. Seen together in series, Robinson’s vessels testify to her intuitive material sensibility and unrivalled understanding of the properties of her medium, as a true master in her field. 115
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Colin McCahon Untitled (International Air Race Painting) 1953 oil on board signed McCahon and dated 1953 in brushpoint lower left 525 x 675mm est
$70,000 — $100,000
Provenance Private collection Auckland. Acquired from Fine New Zealand and Foreign Paintings, Webb's, 14 December 1998, lot 54. Webb's
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Literature Peter Simpson, Colin McCahon: There is Only One Direction, Volume 1:1919-1959 (Auckland: Auckland University Press, 2019), 193. Note Colin McCahon Online Catalogue (www.mccahon.co.nz) number: CM001464
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Stephen Bambury Even Though it Appears Abstract (Chakra #5) 1992 graphite and acrylic on aluminium signed S. Bambury, dated 1992 and inscribed A2/A2/B1/B2/B3/B4/B5 (OF 7 PANELS)/STEPHEN BAMBURY/'EVEN THOUGHT IT/APPEARS ABSTRACT'/ (CHAKRA #5). in ink verso 2750 x 505mm (overall) est
$28,000 — $38,000
Literature Wystan Curnow and William McAloon, Stephen Bambury (Nelson: Craig Potton Publishing, 2000), 154.
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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Bill Hammond Rave 1985 oil on wood signed W Hammond, dated - 1985 and inscribed RAVE. in brushpoint lower left and TO ANNIE in ink verso 60 x 320mm (widest points) est
$8,000 — $12,000
Provenance Private collection, Victoria. Gifted by the artist, c1986. Webb's
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Robyn Kahukiwa We Listen To Our Heartbeat 1993 oil on canvas on board signed Robyn Kahukiwa in brushpoint upper right, dated 30/11/93 and inscribed Nga mihi e hine wa in ink verso 350 x 355mm est
$15,000 — $20,000
Provenance Private collection, Ashburton. Acquired from Jonathan Jensen Gallery, Christchurch, 1994. Webb's
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Shane Cotton Liquid Dream (Half Cast) 2010 screenprint and acrylic on paper signed Shane W Cotton, dated 2010 and inscribed SIXTEEN/HALF CAST in brushpoint lower edge; inscribed Liquid Dream in brushpoint centre 1210 x 1210mm est
$7,000 — $11,000
Provenance Private collection, Wellington. 119
55
Dick Frizzell Big Guy 1982 enamel on board signed FRIZZELL, dated 14/2/82 and inscribed "BIG GUY" in brushpoint lower edge 1050 x 1050mm est
$18,000 — $25,000
Provenance Private Collection, Taupō. Webb's
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120
56
Paul Dibble The Innocents 2011 bronze signed Paul Dibble and dated 2011 with incision on base 250 x 400 x 200mm (widest points) est
$15,000 — $25,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired from A2 Art, Webb's, Auckland, 28 February 2017, lot 811; collection of Mondiale Life Pod, Auckland. Donated by the artist, 2017. 57
Terry Stringer untitled 2001 bronze, artist's proof signed TERRY STRINGER, dated 2001 and inscribed AP with incision lower edge 1680 x 260 x 260mm (widest points) est
$15,000 — $20,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Acquired directly from the artist, c2001. Notes Plinth custom made by the artist.
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Trevor Moffitt Heather No 2 1978 oil on board signed Moffitt and dated 78 in brushpoint upper right; inscribed "Heather No 2"/$4000 in ink verso 1180 x 600mm
59
Trevor Moffitt Adele No 2 1997 oil on board signed Moffitt and dated 97 in brushpoint upper right; inscribed Adele No 2/$4500 Oil on H/B/ in ink verso 880 x 680mm
est
est
58
$15,000 — $20,000
Provenance Private collection, Christchurch.
Provenance Private collection, Christchurch. Webb's
$7,000 — $9,000
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60
Trevor Moffitt Chris No. 1 1976 oil on board signed Moffitt and dated 76 in brushpoint upper right; inscribed Nude Portrait Series/"Chris No1"/$950 in brushpoint verso 1200 x 1180mm est
$9,000 — $12,000
Provenance Private Collection, Taupō. Acquired directly from the artist, c1993. Webb's
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61
Pat Hanly Vacation Screen 1987 oil on wooden screen signed Hanly and dated 87 with incision centre 1845 x 1915mm (widest points) est
$20,000 — $30,000
Provenance Private collection, Auckland. Webb's
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Terms and Conditions The terms and conditions of sale listed here contain the policies of Webb’s (Webb Fine Art). They are the terms on which Webb’s (Webb Fine Art) and the Seller contract with the Buyer. They may be amended by printed Saleroom Notices or oral announcements made before and during the sale. By bidding at auction you agree to be bound by these terms.
1. Background to the Terms used in these Conditions The conditions that are listed below contain terms that are used regularly and may need explanation. They are as follows: “the Buyer” means the person with the highest bid accepted by the Auctioneer. “the Lot” means any item depicted within the sale for auction and in particular the item or items described against any lot number in the catalogue. “the Hammer price” means the amount of the highest bid accepted by the auctioneer in relation to a lot. “the Buyer’s Premium” means the charge payable by the Buyer to the auction house as a percentage of the hammer price. “the Reserve” means the lowest amount at which Webb’s has agreed with the Seller that the lot can be sold. “Forgery” means an item constituting an imitation originally conceived and executed as a whole, with a fraudulent intention to deceive as to authorship, origin, age, period, culture or source, where the correct description as to such matters is not reflected by the description in the catalogue. Accordingly, no lot shall be capable of being a forgery by reason of any damage or restoration work of any kind (Including re-painting). “the insured value” means the amount that Webb’s in its absolute discretion from time to time shall consider the value for which a lot should be covered for insurance (whether or not insurance is arranged by Webb’s). All values expressed in Webb’s catalogues (in any format) are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD$). All bids, “hammer price”, “reserves”, “Buyers Premium” and other expressions of value are understood by all parties to be in New Zealand Dollars (NZD$) unless otherwise specified. 2.
Webb’s Auctions as Agent
Except as otherwise stated, Webb’s acts as agent for the Seller. The contract for the sale of the property is therefore made between the Seller and the Buyer. 3.
Before the Sale
3.1. Examination of Property Prospective Buyers are strongly advised to examine in person any property in which they are interested before the Auction takes place. Neither Webb’s nor the Seller provides any guarantee in relation to the nature of the property apart from the Limited warranty in the paragraph below. The property is otherwise sold “AS IS”
constitute a representation, warranty or assumption of liability by Webb’s of any kind. References in the catalogue entry to the condition report to damage or restoration are for guidance only and should be evaluated by personal inspection by the bidder or a knowledgeable representative. The absence of such a reference does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Estimates of the selling price should not be relied on as a statement that this is the price at which the item will sell or its value for any other purpose. Neither Webb’s nor The Seller is responsible for any errors or omissions in the catalogue or any supplemental material. Images are measured height by width (sight size). Illustrations are provided only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a true representation of colour or condition. Images are not shown at a standard scale. Mention is rarely made of frames (which may be provided as supplementary images on the website) which do not form part of the lot as described in the printed catalogue. An item bought “on Extension” must be paid for in full before it will be released to the purchaser or his/ her agreed expertising committee or specialist. Payments received for such items will be held “in trust” for up to 90 days or earlier, if the issue of authenticity has been resolved more quickly. Extensions must be requested before the auction. Foreign buyers should note that all transactions are in New Zealand Dollars so there may be a small exchange rate risk. The costs associated with acquiring a good opinion or certificate will be carried by the purchaser. If the item turns out to be forged or otherwise incorrectly described, all reasonable costs will be borne by the vendor. 3. Buyers Responsibility All property is sold “as is” without representation or warranty of any kind by Webb’s or the Seller. Buyers are responsible for satisfying themselves concerning the condition of the property and the matters referred to in the catalogue by requesting a condition report. No lot to be rejected if, subsequent to the sale, it has been immersed in liquid or treated by any other process unless the Auctioneer’s permission to subject the lot to such immersion or treatment has first been obtained in writing.
2. Catalogue and Other Descriptions All statements by Webb’s in the catalogue entry for the property or in the condition report, or made orally or in writing elsewhere, are statements of opinion and are not to be relied upon as statements of fact. Such statements do not
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4.
At the Sale
4.1. Refusal of Admission Webb’s reserves the right at our complete discretion to refuse admission to the auction premises or participation in any auction and to reject any bid. 4.2. Registration Before Bidding Any prospective new buyer must complete and sign a registration form and provide photo identification before bidding. Webb’s may request bank, trade or other financial references to substantiate this registration. 4.3. Bidding as a Principal When making a bid, a bidder is accepting personal liability to pay the purchase price including the buyer’s premium and all applicable taxes, plus all other applicable charges, unless it has been explicitly agreed in writing with Webb’s before the commencement of the sale that the bidder is acting as agent on behalf of an identified third party acceptable to Webb’s and that Webb’s will only look to the principal for payment. 4.4. International Registrations All International clients not known to Webb’s will be required to scan or fax through an accredited form of photo identification and pay a deposit at our discretion in cleared funds into Webb’s account at least 24 hours before the commencement of the auction. Bids will not be accepted without this deposit. Webb’s also reserves the right to request any additional forms of identification prior to registering an overseas bid. This deposit can be made using a credit card, however the balance of any purchase price in excess of $5,000 cannot be charged to this card without prior arrangement. This deposit is redeemable against any auction purchase and will be refunded in full if no purchases are made. 4.5. Absentee Bids Webb’s will use reasonable efforts to execute written bids delivered to us AT LEAST 24 Hours before the sale for the convenience of those clients who are unable to attend the auction in person. If we receive identical written bids on a particular lot, and at the auction these are the highest bids on that lot, then the lot will be sold to the person whose written bid was received and accepted first. Execution of written bids is a free service undertaken subject to other commitments at the time of the sale and we do not accept liability for failing to execute a written bid or for errors or omissions which may arise. It is the bidder’s responsibility to check with Webb’s after the auction if they were successful. Unlimited or “Buy” bids will not be accepted. 4.6. Telephone Bids Priority will be given to overseas and bidders from other regions. Please refer to the catalogue for the Telephone Bids form. Arrangements for this service must be confirmed AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR to the auction commencing. Webb’s accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any errors or failure to execute bids. In telephone
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bidding the buyer agrees to be bound by all terms and conditions listed here and accepts that Webb’s cannot be held responsible for any miscommunications in the process. The success of telephone bidding cannot be guaranteed due to circumstances that are unforeseen. Buyers should be aware of the risk and accept the consequences should contact be unsuccessful at the time of Auction. You must advise Webb’s of the lots in question, and you will be assumed to be a buyer at the minimum price of 75% of estimate (i.e. reserve) for all such lots. Webb’s will advise Telephone Bidders who have registered at least 24 hours before the auction of any relevant changes to descriptions, withdrawals, or any other sale room notices. 4.7. Online Bidding Webb’s offers an online bidding service. When bidding online the buyer agrees to be bound by all terms and conditions listed here by Webb’s. Webb’s accepts no responsibility for any errors, failure to execute bids or any other miscommunications regarding this process. It is the online bidder’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of the relevant information regarding bids, lot numbers and contact details. Webb’s does not charge for this service. 4.8. Reserves Unless otherwise indicated, all lots are offered subject to a reserve, which is the confidential minimum price below which the Lot will not be sold. The reserve will not exceed the low estimate printed in the catalogue. The auctioneer may open the bidding on any Lot below the reserve by placing a bid on behalf of the Seller. The auctioneer may continue to bid on behalf of seller up to the amount of the reserve, either by placing consecutive bids or by placing bids in response to other bidders. 4.9. Auctioneers Discretion The Auctioneer has the right at his/ her absolute and sole discretion to refuse any bid, to advance the bidding in such a manner as he/she may decide, to withdraw or divide any lot, to combine any two or more lots and, in the case or error or dispute and whether during or after the sale, to determine the successful bidder, to continue the bidding, to cancel the sale or to reoffer and resell the item in dispute. If any dispute arises after the sale, then Webb’s sale record is conclusive. 4.10. Successful Bid and Passing of Risk Subject to the auctioneer’s discretion, the highest bidder accepted by the auctioneer will be the buyer and the striking of his hammer marks the acceptance of the highest bid and the conclusion of a contract for sale between the Seller and the Buyer. Risk and responsibility for the lot (including frames or glass where relevant) passes immediately to the Buyer. 4.11. Indicative Bidding Steps, etc. Webb’s reserves the right to refuse any bid, withdraw any lot from sale,
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to place a reserve on any lot and to advance the bidding according to the following indicative steps: Increment Dollar Range Amount $20 $0–$500 $50 $500–$1,000 $100 $1,000–$2,000 $200 $2,000–$5,000 $500 $5,000–$10,000 $1,000 $10,000–$20,000 $2,000 $20,000–$50,000 $5,000 $50,000 – $100,000 $10,000 $100,000–$200,000 $20,000 $200,000–$500,000 $50,000 $500,000–$1,000,000 Absentee bids must follow these increments and any bids that don’t follow the steps will be rounded up to the nearest acceptable bid.
made for this service. All packing, shipping, insurance, postage & associated charges will be borne by the purchaser.
5.
5.6.1. to charge interest at such a rate as we shall reasonably decide.
After the Sale
5.1. Buyers Premium In addition to the hammer price, the buyer agrees to pay to Webb’s the buyer’s premium. The buyer’s premium is 18.5% of the hammer price plus GST. (Goods and Services Tax) where applicable. 5.2. Payment and Passing of Title The buyer must pay the full amount due (comprising the hammer price, buyer’s premium and any applicable taxes and GST) not later than 2 days after the auction date. The buyer will not acquire title to the lot until Webb’s receives full payment in cleared funds, and no goods under any circumstances will be released without confirmation of cleared funds received. This applies even if the buyer wishes to send items overseas. Payment can be made by direct transfer, cash (not exceeding NZD$5,000, if wishing to pay more than NZD$5,000 then this must be deposited directly into a Bank of New Zealand branch and bank receipt supplied) and EFTPOS (please check the daily limit). Payments can also be made by credit card in person with a 2.2% merchant fee for Visa and Mastercard and 3.3% for American Express. Invoices that are in excess of $5,000 and where the card holder is not present, cannot be charged to a credit card without prior arrangement. Bank cheques are subject to five days clearance. The buyer is responsible for any bank fees and charges applicable for the transfer of funds into Webb’s account. 5.3. Collection of Purchases & Insurance Webb’s is entitled to retain items sold until all amounts due to us have been received in full in cleared funds. Subject to this, the Buyer shall collect purchased lots within 2 days from the date of the sale unless otherwise agreed in writing between Webb’s and the Buyer. At the fall of the hammer, insurance is the responsibility of the purchaser. 5.4. Packing, Handling and Shipping Webb’s will be able to suggest removals companies that the buyer can use but takes no responsibility whatsoever for the actions of any recommended third party. Webb’s can pack and handle goods purchased at the auction by agreement and a charge will be
5.5. Permits, Licences and Certificates Under The Protected Objects Act 1975, buyers may be required to obtain a licence for certain categories of items in a sale from the Ministry of Culture & Heritage, PO Box 5364, Wellington. 5.6. Remedies for Non-Payment If the Buyer fails to make full payment immediately, Webb’s is entitled to exercise one or more of the following rights or remedies (in addition to asserting any other rights or remedies available under the law)
5.6.2. to hold the defaulting Buyer liable for the total amount due and to commence legal proceedings for its recovery along with interest, legal fees and costs to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law. 5.6.3. to cancel the sale. 5.6.4. to resell the property publicly or privately on such terms as we see fit. 5.6.5. to pay the Seller an amount up to the net proceeds payable in respect of the amount bid by the defaulting Buyer. In these circumstances the defaulting Buyer can have no claim upon Webb’s in the event that the item(s) are sold for an amount greater than the original invoiced amount. 5.6.6. to set off against any amounts which Webb’s may owe the Buyer in any other transactions, the outstanding amount remaining unpaid by the Buyer. 5.6.7. where several amounts are owed by the Buyer to us, in respect of different transactions, to apply any amount paid to discharge any amount owed in respect of any particular transaction, whether or not the Buyer so directs. 5.6.8. to reject at any future auction any bids made by or on behalf of the Buyer or to obtain a deposit from the Buyer prior to accepting any bids. 5.6.9. to exercise all the rights and remedies of a person holding security over any property in our possession owned by the Buyer whether by way of pledge, security interest or in any other way, to the fullest extent permitted by the law of the place where such property is located. The Buyer will be deemed to have been granted such security to us and we may retain
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such property as collateral security for said Buyer’s obligations to us. 5.6.10. to take such other action as Webb’s deem necessary or appropriate. If we do sell the property under paragraph (4), then the defaulting Buyer shall be liable for payment of any deficiency between the total amount originally due to us and the price obtained upon reselling as well as for all costs, expenses, damages, legal fees and commissions and premiums of whatever kinds associated with both sales or otherwise arising from the default. If we pay any amount to the Seller under paragraph (5) the Buyer acknowledges that Webb’s shall have all of the rights of the Seller, however arising, to pursue the Buyer for such amount. 5.7. Failure to Collect Purchases Where purchases are not collected within 2 days from the sale date, whether or not payment has been made, we shall be permitted to remove the property to a warehouse at the buyer’s expense, and only release the items after payment in full has been made of removal, storage handling, insurance and any other costs incurred, together with payment of all other amounts due to us. 6.
Extent of Webb’s Liability
Webb’s agrees to refund the purchase price in the circumstances of the Limited Warranty set out in paragraph 7 below. Apart from that, neither the Seller nor we, nor any of our employees or agents are responsible for the correctness of any statement of whatever kind concerning any lot, whether written or oral, nor for any other errors or omissions in description or for any faults or defects in any lots. Except as stated in paragraph 7 below, neither the Seller, ourselves, our officers, agents or employees give any representation warranty or guarantee or assume any liability of any kind in respect of any lot with regard to merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, description, size, quality, condition, attribution, authenticity, rarity, importance, medium, provenance, exhibition history, literature or historical relevance. Except as required by local law any warranty of any kind is excluded by this paragraph. 7.
Limited Warranty
Subject to the terms and conditions of this paragraph, the Seller warrants for the period of thirty days from the date of the sale that any property described in this catalogue (noting such description may be amended by any saleroom notice or announcement) which is stated without qualification to be the work of a named author or authorship is authentic and not a forgery. The term “Author” or “authorship” refers
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to the creator of the property or to the period, culture, source, or origin as the case may be, with which the creation of such property is identified in the catalogue. The warranty is subject to the following: it does not apply where a) the catalogue description or saleroom notice corresponded to the generally accepted opinion of scholars and experts at the date of the sale or fairly indicated that there was a conflict of opinions, or b) correct identification of a lot can be demonstrated only by means of a scientific process not generally accepted for use until after publication of the catalogue or a process which at the date of the publication of the catalogue was unreasonably expensive or impractical or likely to have caused damage to the property. the benefits of the warranty are not assignable and shall apply only to the original buyer of the lot as shown on the invoice originally issued by Webb’s when the lot was sold at Auction. the Original Buyer must have remained the owner of the lot without disposing of any interest in it to any third party. The Buyer’s sole and exclusive remedy against the Seller in place of any other remedy which might be available, is the cancellation of the sale and the refund of the original purchase price paid for the lot less the buyer’s premium which is non-refundable. Neither the Seller nor Webb’s will be liable for any special, incidental nor consequential damages including, without limitation, loss of profits. The Buyer must give written notice of claim to us within thirty days of the date of the Auction. The Seller shall have the right, to require the Buyer to obtain two written opinions by recognised experts in the field, mutually acceptable to the Buyer and Webb’s to decide whether or not to cancel the sale under warranty. the Buyer must return the lot to Seller in the same condition that it was purchased. 8.
10.
Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and conditions and any matters concerned with the foregoing fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New Zealand, unless otherwise stated. 11.
Pre-Sale Estimates
Webb’s publishes with each catalogue our opinion as to the estimated price range for each lot. These estimates are approximate prices only and are not intended to be definitive. They are prepared well in advance of the sale and may be subject to revision. Interested parties should contact Webb’s prior to auction for updated pre-sale estimates and starting prices. 12.
Sale Results
Webb’s will provide auction results, which will be available as soon as possible after the sale. Results will include buyer’s premium. These results will be posted at www.webbs.co.nz. 13.
Goods and Service Tax
GST is applicable on the hammer price in the case where the seller is selling property that is owned by an entity registered for GST. GST is also applicable on the hammer price in the case where the seller is not a New Zealand resident. These lots are denoted by a dagger symbol † placed next to the estimate. GST is also applicable on the buyer’s premium.
Severability
If any part of these Conditions of Sale is found by any court to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that part shall be discounted, and the rest of the Conditions shall continue to be valid to the fullest extent permitted by law. 9.
Copyright
The copyright in all images, illustrations and written material produced by Webb’s relating to a lot including the contents of this catalogue, is and shall remain the property at all times of Webb’s and shall not be used by the Buyer, nor by anyone else without our prior written consent. Webb’s and the Seller make no representation or warranty that the Buyer of a property will acquire any copyright or other reproduction rights in it.
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Index of Artists A Aberhart, Laurence
47
B Bambury, Stephen 117 Binney, Don 84-87, 92-93 C Cotton, Shane
97-101, 119
D de Lautour, Tony Dibble, Paul Driver, Don
50 96 112-115
S Scott, Ian Stringer, Terry Sydney, Grahame
88-89 121 94-95
T The Estate of L.Budd 110-111
51 57, 121 52
F Fomison, Tony Frizzell, Dick
Rae, Jude Reynolds, John Robinson, Ann
109 120
W Walters, Gordon Warhol, After Andy White, Robin Woollaston, Toss
61-75 50 90-91 79
G Gimblett, Max Grant, Lyonel
46, 60 53
H Hammond, Bill 46, 48, 118 Hanly, Pat 80-81, 124 Hemer, Andre 50 Henderson, Louise 82-83 Henson, Bill 102-105 Hotere, Ralph 49 K Kahukiwa, Robyn Killeen, Richard
119 58-59
M McCahon, Colin Moffitt, Trevor
116 122-123
P Palmer, Stanley Pardington, Fiona Picasso, Pablo Pick, Séraphine
78 54-56 76-77 106-108
R
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Auctions Private Sales Valuations
Absentee Bid Form
+64 9 529 5600 auction@webbs.co.nz 33a Normanby Rd Mount Eden Auckland, 1024 New Zealand
In order to register to bid with Webb’s please complete this form and scan or email to auction@webbs.co.nz
webbs.co.nz Name
Bidder #
(Please Print Clearly)
(Office Use Only)
Email (Please provide for invoice purposes)
Address (PO Box not sufficient)
Auction # & Title
City
(Please Print Auction & Title Here)
Postcode Telephone Number(s)
1
2
(In Order of Preference)
Lot Number (in order)
Catalogue Description
Maximum Bid Not including buyer’s premium or GST
I authorise Webb’s to register bids on a per lot basis up to the maximum price I have indicated for each lot. I will not hold Webb’s responsible for any errors that occur. I understand that if my bid is successful, the purchase price will be the sum of my final bid plus the buyer’s premium of 18.5% of the final bid price plus any GST payable on the buyers premium, as indicated in the catalogue. GST will be charged on the buyer’s premium.
I have read and accepted Webb’s terms and conditions as printed in the catalogue and online at www.webbs.co.nz. Bids will not be processed unless this form is signed.
Date
Signature
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33a Normanby Rd Mount Eden Auckland 1024 23 Marion St Te Aro Wellington 6011 webbs.co.nz