A piece of art by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama went under the hammer in Auckland tonight. Photo / File
The art auction at Webb's in Auckland tonight, which included an extremely rare piece by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, left the company's head of art Charles Ninow buzzing.
"I've never seen anything like it in my life, just a sea of people," he said.
The rare 1970 Kusama piece went for $176,000, which Ninow said is a "remarkable result".
A pop art image of Jacinda Ardern, which has her signature on it, went for almost $13,000.
The artist's proof of the painting, Aroha, is the work of Mike Weston and Otis Frizzell.
The work, by the two long-time Labour Party supporters, sparked an Electoral Commission investigation before the election.
"As soon as we put it up, the atmosphere in the room changed," Ninow said.
Tony Fomison's piece Garden of Eden Aotearoa fetched more than $500,000.
'If you're a human being and you've got feelings, how can you not be traumatised?'