Hotere auction smashes expectations

Important Paintings & Contemporary Art
Art + Object
March 25th

The much anticipated auction of twenty three works by Ralph Hotere from the Asher collection went for better than was expected with nearly all the works selling for more than the reserves and some of them selling for more than double. One of the screen/mono prints “Moon Daughter” went for a staggering $26,500 well above the reserve of $6500.

The five geometric images all sold well with “Big Flat” going for $14,000 (reserve: $6000). “On Vietnam” for $13,000 ($6000), “Yellow on White” for $12,000 ($7000) and “Red Square No 21” for $10,000 ($7000).

The large ink diptych “Raumati” sold for $31,000 ($23,000) and the “Abstract Study with Tewhatewha Form” for $15,250 ($7000).

The two large painting on offer did not do quite so well with “Zero Painting” selling for $17,500 ($25,000) and “O Africa” for $35,000 ($45,000).

The rest of the sale was not as successful with about a third of the works not selling on the night.

Among the higher priced works which did not reach the expected reserves were the large six-fold “Primal Screen” by Bill Hammond which got to$130,000 ($160,000) and a Gordon Walters untitled koru work which achieved $240,000 ($300,000).

The two large John Pule works failed to sell with “Taketake mo e Vaka” getting to $23,000 ($28,000) and “What May I Need” to $30,000 ($38,000).

The two big Pat Hanly works in the sale also did not fare well with one of his rare Figures in Light works only making $80,000 ($130,000) and the 1984 “Pacific Hope Vessel” $60,000 ($80,000). However his “Night Heart and I” went for $22,000 ($25,000) and his drawing “Observer and Vacation Bathers” for $2600 ($3600).

Two of the three Julian Dashpers failed to sell – his drum skin work and his painting “Regent” both reaching $10,000 ($14,000) while his large untitled work sold for $9000 ($10,000).

Among the important sales was a Shane Cotton work “Tauanga”, a predominately white work, related to the very large black work which is on offer at Webb’s next week with a reserve of $200,000. “Tauanga” sold for $36,000 ($35,000).

A small painting by Michael Illingworth “Seba Driving His Red Car” featuring three of the artist’s iconic figures sold for $39,000 ($40,000) after an extending bidding war lasting close to five minutes.

A set of etchings by the English artist Richard Deacon whose large sculpture is located in the ASB bank courtyard went for $8000 ($8000) and a painting by Scottish artist Callum Innes, “Exposed Painting Red Violet Yellow Oxide Charcoal Black” reached $19,000 ($22,000).

The overseas work on sale also included two works by Rosalie Gascoigne. Her “Dandelion” composed of reflective roads sign off-cuts went for $170,000 ($170,000) and her smaller “Rocky Road II” went for $35,000 ($35,000).

A large Karl Maughan, “Wollaton Hall” sold for $34,000 ($32,000), a Louise Henderson work from 1956 “Three Women of Jerusalem went for $44,000 ($35,000) and an early Peter Stichbury “Duality” went for $16,000 ($15,000)