All eyes will be on the sale of Fred Williams’ Hillside 1, from 1965 (Lot 85 ),. The work was previously offered in 2007 by Sotheby’s with an estimate of $1.8 to 2.2 million, but failed to find a buyer.
However, after its prominent display at the Williams retrospective at the National Gallery of Australia ‘Infinite Horizons’, this has to be about the most perfect timing to sell this work, at the considerably reduced estimate of $1 to 1.5 million.
It says a lot about the standing of Ann Lewis in the arts community that this sale will be held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. No doubt, the ensuing publicity will bring many new buyers who have never crossed the threshold of a fine art auction room to view these unusual goings on at their art museum.
Rather cleverly, the opulent hard copy catalogue mostly displays only images of the art, and not other items, which are synonymous with house sales – garden furniture, a Japanese suit of armour and even personal jewellery. Don’t be mistaken, this sale is all about the art though, and it’s as complex and eclectic a collection you are ever likely to see.
Ann Lewis has donated many major works to institutions over the years, but this does not diminish the works offered in this sale.
It is obvious from the catalogue that Ann Lewis continued to collect contemporary art up until she passed away, supporting many young artists.
These new contemporary works add considerably to a collection which contains many old favourites that we regularly see in the auction room, including Fred Williams, Clement Meadmore, Ken Whisson, Rosalie Gascoigne, Peter Booth and Robert Klippel.
Auctioning of an untested young artist’s work can be a double-edged sword (a work can be in danger of selling for very little, damaging gallery pricing). Hopefully however, it will act as a positive for many of these Australian and New Zealand artists who have already received the imprimatur of one of Australia’s greatest supporters of contemporary art.
It will be fascinating to see how the sometimes harsh auctioneer’s gavel treats Tom Moore’s eccentric glass sculptures (Lot 52 ), (Lot 53 ) (Lot 54 ) or Christopher Clement’s plastic figure photographing his reflection (lot 15A), estimate $300-500, likewise Patrick Hartigan (Lot 192 ), (Lot 193 ) and (Lot 217 ) or Emma Walker (lots 319, 350, 356, 448, 485, 501, 545, 562)
Due to the very diversity of this collection including a large number of Aboriginal paintings and tribal art from Papua New Guinea, we are likely to see just as diverse a crowd at the auction event of the year. As there are a number of works by international artists, we also might get some overseas phone bids – the 3 works by British artist Bridget Riley which are currently in London may sell to English buyers, with no shipping costs being an added bonus.
The viewing is at the former home of Ann Lewis in Rose Bay, 8 Bay View Hill Road, from 4 to 7 November.
