Saleroom: Hotere art is hotter than ever

By DON MILNE

Is this the year for Ralph Hotere? Not only is the doyen of New Zealand contemporary art the subject of a full-length biographical film - surely unique for a living New Zealand artist - but his works are attracting much attention at a major retrospective exhibition.

They are sure to attract attention in the saleroom, too, as all three main Auckland art auction houses have Hoteres on offer in their first big sales of the year.

First off the block - and hoping to break its own record of $95,000 for a Hotere - is Peter Webb Galleries, on March 19.

Webb's will be offering several works by Hotere, including one of his black lacquer paintings from 1977 and a painting on polished steel from around the same period. Both are estimated at from $75,000 to $100,000 but may well go higher, since works from this period are highly sought after.

The International Art Centre has three Hoteres in its sale on March 27 - not major works, says director Richard Thomson, but likely to sell at from $20,000 to $30,000 - while Dunbar Sloane, on May 1, has two Hotere watercolours in the same range.

Webb's also have a McCahon which they are hoping will fetch a top price, three works by Tony Fomison and an interesting early Killeen cut-out, from 1983. Among older pieces, a Lindauer portrait of Huriana Wharepu is expected to be a highlight.

The International Art Centre's offering will include probably the biggest collection of works by Margaret Stoddart ever to come on the market. Most of the 12 items come from one collection and are on sale for the first time. The sale also includes three Bill Hammonds, two McCahons and a Killeen, plus the usual collection of colonial paintings.

A big painting by Hammond is likely to be the main attraction of Dunbar Sloane's sale; it hopes it will fetch more than $100,000.

Webb's reports that the ruckus over last year's planned sale of a collection of early photographs of Maori from the Whanganui district, aborted when noisy protesters effectively took over the saleroom, has been resolved - apparently to the satisfaction of most parties.

The bulk of the collection has been sold, after much negotiation, into the safe (and public) hands of the Wanganui Museum and hence will stay in the district where it originated.

And in another sequel, Dunbar Sloane has lost the crown it received last year when it sold a "Liner" vase by British art deco potter Clarice Cliff for the world-record-breaking price of $52,000 (premium included). That mantle has now passed to Bonham's in London, where a Cliff charger sold there four weeks after the Wellington auction for $66,200 - a new mark for New Zealand to aim for?

Coming up: Webb's major sale on March 19 (art), 20 (jewellery) and 21 (antiques) will be followed by an affordable art sale on May 7.

Cordy's have a big ethnic art sale planned for March 18, with antiques the following day. The estate of eminent plastic surgeon Sir William Manchester, comprising mostly antique furniture, silver and Oriental items, will be offered at Cordy's tomorrow.

The International Art Centre's first auction for the year will be held in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell on March 27.

Dunbar Sloane, with its new gallery in St Marks Rd, will separate art and antique sales this year. A largely colonial auction will be held this Wednesday, with an important collection of Maori and Pacific artefacts, most said to be pre-European and from one estate, on April 18. Investment art will be up on May 1, with affordable art the following day.