Four Art Collectors On How It Enriches Their Lives & How To Form A Collection

“Art is an intrinsic part of human nature.” Four local collectors on how art infuses and elevates their lives.

Not everyone has $3.7 million to spend on a Goldie, but art enriches the lives of a wide range of passionate collectors, including these four New Zealanders, who explain why it makes their life better, what they’re drawn to and why.

Tyrone Ohia

The founder and creative director of design studio Extended Whānau lives in Onehunga, Tāmaki Makaurau, with his wife Mel and daughters Wharepī, 6, and Rena, 3.

Do you enjoy visiting galleries?

Art is a physical experience for me, so gallery visits are the only way to feel the full energy. I like Season Aotearoa, Tim Melville Gallery and, for Māori (and indigenous) art and artists, Wairau Māori Art Gallery. The recently reopened Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui is also a must visit. One of my favourite pieces there is actually part of the architecture – a beautifully carved, suspended waka that bridges the gallery spaces. This piece was led by Cecelia Kumeroa and Eugene Kara, alongside carvers from the New Zealand Māori Arts & Craft Institute (NZMACI).

How do you select pieces for your collection?

From a te ao Māori perspective, there’s no separation between art, design and life. Most of our artworks have been given to us. I’m an accidental collector, but if I’m picking, I’d start with Māori. There’s too many to choose from, but I really like Kauae Raro, Cora-Allan, Raukura Turei, Stevei Houkāmau, Ngaroma Riley, Ngātai Taepa, Kereama Taepa, Rangi Kipa, and Charlene Fraser.

Do you have one piece that’s extra special?

My partner Mel commissioned a beautiful Pūtōrino for me, carved from river tōtara by our mate Thomas Carroll. Being a taonga pūoro, it’s an artwork, a musical instrument, as well as a form of rongoā and entertainment. That openness is what I love about toi Māori, it breaks all the art barriers. At the time I was given it we’d been working on a few projects inspired by Hineraukatauri, the goddess of music. For me, this piece reminds me of my culture, friendship, te awa o Whanganui where I grew up, and the work we do at Extended Whānau. I love seeing my daughters use it to make music.

What was the first artwork you bought?

A piece from ceramicist Paul Rayner when I was a student in 2009. A quirky bust of a Rātana rugby supporter with dreads and a mataora. Our Tauranga Moana whānau have strong links to Rātana, and my dad used to teach there. I’d often be there with him when I was a kid.

Any pieces with a story attached?

All of them!

Do you believe artworks influence the space in which you live?

For sure. We’re all products of our environments. Through Māori art, I get to see and feel my culture every day. For me, it’s heavily tied in with identity and a sense of belonging, which is inseparable from our personal wellbeing. We need more reminders of who we are in our homes and daily lives.

Do you believe everyone needs art in their life?

Grace Lai

Curator of Applied Arts and Design at Auckland Museum. Lives on the North Shore of Tāmaki Makaurau with her partner Daniel and their cavoodle Charlie.

How do you select pieces for your collection?

I’m primarily guided by an emotional connection. Often the piece captures a moment – whether it’s a feeling, an achievement, or a spark of inspiration – that makes it impossible to leave behind. My tastes are broad, though I gravitate towards certain mediums at one time. Currently I’m drawn towards textiles and contemporary jewellery.

Do you visit galleries a lot?

Yes. I’ve always loved visiting galleries – a pleasure that has now become something of an occupational hazard.

What attracts you to a piece?

For me, acquiring art is not just about adding to my collection; it’s about building a connection with something that continues to inspire and enrich my understanding of the world.

Any pieces with a story attached?

One piece that stands out came from an unexpected encounter. During a lunch break at a conference in Dunedin, I wandered into a store and was captivated by a haunting watercolour. I began talking to a person who turned out to be the artist’s mother, which led to a meeting with the painter who shared the story behind their work. The adventure continued, as getting the large framed work home involved some ingenuity at the airport with cardboard, duct tape and the help of some lovely flight attendants. It’s a wonderful reminder of how art sometimes has a way of finding you.

Do you believe everyone needs art in their life?

As a lover of art and a person who works in the field, I’m undoubtedly biased, but my answer is an emphatic yes. Art is an intrinsic part of human nature: to create, express, and connect with things that make us think or feel.

Some say that you don’t qualify as a collector of anything unless you have storage space for your collection – are you at that stage?

As a curator, I work with collections housed in spaces meticulously designed for preservation, with strict controls for temperature, humidity, light, and even pests. Personally, I don’t have a storage space of that calibre, nor do I think it’s a defining trait of a collector. For me, the spaces where I live and work – whether it’s my living room, office, or garden – are more than just places to store art. They’re spaces where the pieces are celebrated, enjoyed, and integrated into everyday life.

Toss Grumley

Business adviser and company director. Lives in Westmere, Tāmaki Makaurau, with his wife Sereana and daughters Inti, 7, and Atlas, 4.

Do you enjoy visiting galleries?

I love visiting galleries here and abroad – it’s a great way to see a vast array of art which is often housed in fantastic architectural buildings. Locally I love Gibbs Farm and also public galleries such as Te Uru and Auckland Art Gallery. Whenever we travel we make an effort to visit great galleries globally and have visited a bunch of fantastic institutions in Australia, Europe and Asia over the past couple of years. The commercial galleries in Auckland I most regularly frequent are Fox Jensen McCrory, Gow Langsford, Michael Lett and Suite.

How do you select pieces for your collection?

I like to research, so I’ll see things I like locally or globally and then buy all the books, read whatever I can online and engage quite deeply before making a purchase. Once I connect with an artist, I’ll often collect multiple works from them.

Do you have one piece that’s extra special?

I have a couple of works from the Meta Grey series by Milan Mrkusich. His work has always resonated with me and it feels pretty special being able to own a bit of history. Provenance is important in art and one of these works has been published and came from an exceptional New Zealand collection.

What makes you want to acquire something?

Art makes me think, but most importantly makes me feel. I always look for works that generate an emotional response – that could be awe, calmness, excitement or an overall feeling of contentment.

Do you have anything in your collection that you know is coveted by others?

Ha! Potentially lots or nothing depending on the viewer’s taste. I have an Imi Knoebel work on a thick slab of aluminium that’s pretty special. His work is coveted globally.

What was the first piece you bought?

I started buying prints from Muka Gallery as a child. In my early teens I bought prints by Barry Cleavin and also some paintings by Stephen Martyn Welch.

Do you believe art has a strong influence on your surroundings?

Absolutely. At work I’ve curated a collection I find very calming and at home we have a more vibrant collection that feels a little more creative.

Some say that you don’t qualify as a collector of anything unless you have storage space for your collection – are you at that stage yet?

We are indeed – we have artwork across our home, my Grumley+Company offices in Auckland and Sydney, a storage unit and the office of the other business I’m a partner in, PH Digital.

What attracted you to the Hanns Kunitzberger work featured in your portrait photo?

It was love at first sight with this work. He is an Austrian painter now based in Berlin and I can honestly say this is one of the best paintings I have seen in my life. It’s a work that you feel you can sink into it. It sits behind me in my Ponsonby office and gets constant comments on its depth and calming effect.

What about Beta Dub by Mark Francis?

This work has an energising effect and reminds me of sound waves (it’s in the name I guess). Mark’s works are often inspired by his fascination with science or sound. This work sits in my media room at home, opposite the pool. They reflect back at each other in a lovely way, both showing a lot of movement. Like the Kunitzberger work, people constantly ask, how did he paint that?

Mark is an Irish painter now based in London. I met him and his lovely wife Nicky when they were in New Zealand for the opening of one of his shows and they are fantastic people, I hope to do a studio visit next time I’m in London. Both of these works came from Fox Jensen McCrory Gallery.

Sarah Lods

The interior stylist lives in Freemans Bay, Tāmaki Makaurau, with her husband Philippe Lods.

Do you have a favourite gallery?

We are supporters of Object Space, a gallery that champions architecture, craft and design, which all have major crossovers into contemporary art. When travelling overseas our first stop is always an art gallery. Art fairs for me are like speed dating – everything in one spot! I’m obsessed.

What is your favourite piece of art that you own?

An abstract by Matt Arbuckle. It was at Tim Melville Gallery. When we walked in the sun was hitting the painting and it was virtually glowing. We wanted to buy it then and there but it already had two holds on it. It was a very nerve-racking few days but, luckily for us, the others passed and it still makes me smile. I vividly remember the effect of that glow.

What was the first artwork you bought?

Early in our relationship Philippe and I commissioned a piece by our friend, Fane Flaws. He was an artist, musician and director who did the opening animation to Radio with Pictures. Ours is called Perfect Embrace.

Any pieces with a story attached?

A lenticular artwork by Cécile Plaisance that depicts a Barbie in a burqa one moment, and lingerie the next. We’d been in Venice for two days at the Biennale and were on our way back to our apartment to pick up our bags and leave. We passed a gallery, popped in and were entranced by this piece. We had 15 minutes to decide if we wanted it and how to get it back to New Zealand.

Do you believe art influences the space in which you live?

Definitely. We move a lot as we are serial renovators and art is our balm. Currently we are living in a home that’s yet to be renovated. Slathering the walls in our art camouflages its imperfections.

Do you believe everyone needs art in their life?

Absolutely. Art always makes a house a home because it’s an expression of your personality and passion.

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