Brent Wong Masterpiece Could Bring Up To $350,000

A piece of modern art originally done in the early days of the career of one of New Zealand’s leading modern artists is predicted to bring up to $350,000 at an art sale in Auckland this week (Tuesday, March 26)

Establishment, by Otaki born artist Brent Wong, is one of several works by some of New Zealand’s leading artists to be offered at a sale of Important and Rare Art at the International Art Centre in Parnell, Auckland.

International Art Centre director, Richard Thomson, said Wong, 79, was a very exciting artist and his work, Establishment, was one of 12 which were part of Wong’s first solo exhibition in Wellington in 1969.

“Wong is a very precise artist and Establishment is a classic composition of his modern art style. It consists of blue sky, the sea, dry grassed hills, white clouds and ghostly white architectural elements. His popularity is growing all the time,” Mr Thomson said

The Wong painting is one of numerous important and rare works of art to be offered, including one of the most sought after prints of a work by British graffiti street artist Banksy, Girl With Balloon, (predicted to sell for up to $750,000). Banksy has never been publicly identified but Girl With Balloon is considered one of his most iconic images and shows a young girl and a red, heart-shaped balloon, just out of her reach. Some observers believe the girl has lost the balloon and others say she is on the verge of catching it.

Mr Thomson said Banksy is a committed conservationist and a battler for human rights and social justice. His works regularly sell for record prices.

The sale also includes an oil painting of a Maori chieftainess by New Zealand artist Charles Frederick Goldie ($450,000 to $650,000). Goldie died in 1947 but has a world-wide reputation as one of the world’s finest artists of Maori elders and Maori scenes.

Some of New Zealand’s most recognised and important artists in the sale have produced some of the finest examples of New Zealand contemporary and historic art. They include Don Binney, Colin McCahon, Ralph Hotere, Max Gimblett, Peter Stichbury, Dick Frizzell, Gretchen Albrecht, Michel Smither, Frances Hodgkins, Peter McIntyre, Raymond Ching and numerous others.

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