This was one of the many dramatic new-record highlights in Joel’s offering of their part of the National Australia Bank collection. For a second Melbourne night the room was full to overflowing with anticipation for this auction. The superb price for the Johns piece is no better proof of the immense support that the bank’s collecting interest has provided living artists: for Johns, not only for the original acquisition of his work, but also for the intrigue that this will bring for his new work through gallerists in the primary market. Australian sculptors have always faced a difficult path, but Johns is an example of where a lifetime of hard work has given him voice. It is hard to see how the National Australia bank could fare better in its aim to provide beneficial social deeds. They should keep collecting living artists.
A deeply engaging feature of the Joel's sale was the presence of nine wool tapestries that had been organised under the original curatorship of Georges Mora through the then newly-formed Victorian Tapestry Workshop in 1976. This medium has been a feature of human endeavour for centuries, and its use in this collection has left a lasting legacy. As an on-going recording, turning a painting into a living tapestry seems more deeply satisfying than simply taking a digital record of it for future audiences. Besides, the vibrant colours seem to have burgeoned over the last forty years. Mirka Mora’s Curlew’s in the Garden, 1980, (Lot 25 ), the first of the tapestries offered, delighted the online and assembled audience with bids from the book, room, telephone and online. After a frenzy of some 30 bids, the work finally sold for $160,000, well above its perfectly reasonable $35,000-$40,000 estimated range, creating a new record for the artist in any medium.
The other eight tapestries all attracted spirited bidding, especially the beautiful John Coburn Bushfire, 1976, (Lot 30 ) which glowed with vermilion fire. It sailed past its top estimate of $30,000 to set a new record (in this medium) of $70,000 for the artist. After the Mora tapestry had been sold, one lucky and persistent telephone bidder managed to overwhelm the internet bids placed on all the eight remaining tapestry lots and acquired all eight. Noticeable records here were for: the Jeffrey Makin, Port Campbell, 1979, (Lot 33 ) at $30,000, which is a record for his work in any medium; Lesley Dumbrell, Snakes and Ladders, 1979, (Lot 31 ) at $26,000—a record in this medium, but somewhat eclipsed by her record of $40,000 for a painting at Deutscher and Hackett on the previous night.
This auction was undoubtedly enhanced by the increasing role that the internet plays in the sale of Australian art. On the night 100% of lots were sold. The internet audience grew dramatically as the auction proceeded and by the end of the auction there were 869 watching online, many of them undoubtedly bidders. There is no other practical explanation for the 22 new artist records out of the 130 lots offered—and we must remember that a new artist record is recorded by the Australian Art Sales Digest as a new high price when sold (including buyer’s premium) for more than $10,000—so this is a substantial achievement for both the artists and Joel’s presentation of their work. Particularly worthy was the new record set for Judy Cassab’s Red Desert, 1972, (Lot 106 ) at $70,000 (previous record $17,500). This is yet another example of how images from the 1970s find audience relevance now.
Of the living artists, interesting records were achieved for: Katherine Hattam’s Pink Armchair Green Light, 1972, (Lot 122 ) at $15,000 (previous record $3000); Darren Wardle’s Gecko Gate, 1999, (Lot 121 ) at $11,000 (previous record $7,000). These artists send this message: Thank You National Australia Bank.
On the night the sale achieved the extraordinary result of 100% by lot and 224% by value.
All prices quoted are hammer prices and do not include the buyer’s premium.
