This unmistakably far north coastscape by Douglas MacDiarmid is on offer in the next New Zealand and International Fine Arts auction day sale from Dunbar Sloane in Wellington on 12 April 2018.

Bay of Islands II 1993 was the cover image of a series of evocative landscapes shown as Further Paintings of New Zealand in Douglas’ solo exhibition at Christopher Moore Gallery, Wellington that year. Nine of the 22 paintings in that exhibition from 29 November – 11 December 1993 were scenes of the Bay of Islands.

These paintings arose from a 1990 visit when Douglas reacquainted himself with the North Island, after his successful solo Sesquicentennial Light Release exhibition in Wellington (also at Christopher Moore Gallery).

Then aged 68, the long-time expatriate was brought back to New Zealand from Paris with his exhibition as an official New Zealand 1990 project for the 150^th anniversary of the founding of the nation.

MacDiarmid was named a New Zealand Living Cultural Treasure on that visit, and sat for Auckland artist Jacqueline Fahey, who painted him as one of the first five portraits commissioned by the newly-established New Zealand Portrait Gallery.

On that occasion, MacDiarmid’s homeland travels inspired two major series of paintings of New Zealand landscapes that were exhibited in Wellington within three years.

Exhibition notes

In his 1993 exhibition notes, Douglas wrote: “These pictures have been made from notes taken when I was last in New Zealand and the bigger part of this selection are from a visit to my cousins in Kerikeri.

“It has been interesting to discover that stimulation from these sources actually increases with time, the reason being that my aim in paint is to work towards the underlying rhythm in each case, consciously striving not to get tied up in surface description.

“The more I can succeed in liberating a rhythm, he more the picture will open to a certain universality. If I fall into the trap of description, the picture closes into a mere statement of locality.

“Since I began working in acrylic about seven years ago, I have felt a new lease of life. The fluid possibilities of acrylic suit my needs in an extended watercolour technique and, happily, I can see no end to it.”

About the auction

New Zealand and International Fine Art Auction
11 & 12 April 2018

Dunbar Sloane

Lot 334 Douglas MacDiarmid Bay of Islands II 1993 ($1250-2000)

WELLINGTON VIEWING
Thursday 5 April 5pm – 7pm opening preview
Friday 6 April 9am – 5pm
Sunday 8 April 12 noon – 3pm
Monday 9 April 9am – 5pm
Tuesday 10 April 9am – 5pm
Wednesday 11 April 9am – 4pm

AUCTION
Part I Evening Sale – Wednesday 11 April 2018 (Lot 1-70)
Part II Day Sale – Thursday 12 April 2018 (Lot 200-397)

7 Maginnity St, Wellington

View the Part II Day Sale auction catalogue>>