Auction to help gallery grow

Tame Iti's painting Guest Of Her Majesty will be auctioned tomorrow. Photo/File

An art work painted by Tame Iti behind the bars of Waikeria Prison will be one of 20 auctioned to raise funds for the Taneatua Gallery.

The gallery is Mr Iti's labour of love.

Since the front door to the villa was opened earlier this year, amazing work has gone on behind the scenes to convert the holes in walls, missing floorboards, no-glass windows, unlit and generally derelict space into a functioning gallery.

Instead of incorporating the local graffiti as was the case during early exhibitions, Mr Iti and his supporters have worked tirelessly to rejuvenate the building.

Flawless white walls now provide a backdrop for works of art and lighting has been installed to enhance what is showcased.

Tame Iti's Guest Of Her Majesty will be auctioned tomorrow. Photo / Supplied

But Mr Iti's work is not yet done and tomorrow's auction is being held to raise more money.

"The Taneatua Gallery has been open for five months now and the response has been amazing," he said. "We are hoping to move things to the next level and give the gallery further refurbishment to allow us to grow and show more talented artists at the gateway of Te Urewera."

Guest Of Her Majesty is an acrylic on newspaper painting completed by Mr Iti during his Waikeria Prison stay for firearms offences.

It is one of four he has included in the auction.

Other works are from Turumaakina Duley, Bernadine Marr, Weston Frizell, Bridget Rewiti, Rau Hunt, Carly Raniaho, Aimee Ratana, Laurence Hughes, Dan Mace, HeHani Kahurangi, Ati Teepa and Trust Me.

Those who can't make the auction can register to make an absentee bid on the Taneatua gallery Facebook page.