Top Kiwi artists' work in town fundraiser

BID: Robin Neate's The Nature of Things II is one of 61 works up for auction. PHOTO/HAMISH MCKAY GALLERY

Some of New Zealand's best known artists will be on display in a contemporary art exhibition at the Martinborough Town Hall tomorrow.

More than 60 works from 40 artists including Dick Frizzell, Seraphine Pick, Euan MacLeod, Gavin Hipkins, Max Patte, Fiona Pardington, Gerda Leenards and Shane Cotton will be exhibited and then later auctioned, as a fundraiser for the Martinborough Community Centre project and the Ruamahanga Health Trust.

Cath de Groot, chairwoman of the art auction committee, said most of the artists were recognised New Zealand-wide and internationally.

"Our aim was to bring together the most exciting collection of contemporary art ever seen in South Wairarapa.

She said it was an ambitious goal, but they had been rewarded with some extraordinary works.

"Those who come to the public viewing will be rewarded with an extraordinary exhibition."

She said several people on the committee were art enthusiasts and collectors, and managed to get the pieces by pulling their contacts to ask artists directly for works.

"One of the first artists we contacted was New Zealand art icon Dick Frizzell.

"He replied immediately saying he'd 'have a rummage around out the back' and came back a day or so later with an oil on canvas painting of an oak barrel which fits perfectly into the context of our little wine village."

She said the artists were extremely generous and keen to share their works with different audiences.

Mrs de Groot said they had been lucky to have help from many dealer galleries such as Sanderson Contemporary in Auckland, to bring down a collection of their artists, all of whom have never been shown in Wairarapa before.

While tickets to the auction have sold out, there will be a silent auction of six works that anyone who comes to the exhibition can bid on.

Mrs de Groot said they had already raised $6500 from tickets alone. Money raised will go towards the multi-million dollar development of the community centre and building a covered ambulance bay at the town's medical centre. She said they came up with the idea based on the past success of the Ruamahanga Health Trust's art auction fundraisers, the last one being held in 2009.

The exhibition will be open from 10am to 2.30pm with entry by donation.

"For a gold coin donation you can see the work of some of New Zealand's finest."