Buck Nin New Zealand, 1942-96

Born in Auckland in 1942, Buck Nin Ngati Ruakawa, Ngati Toa taught art at Hamilton College for more than twenty years. He graduated from the University of Canterbury in 1965, later gaining a Masters in Education from the University of Hawaii, then a Doctorate in Fine Arts from Texas Technical University. In the 1970s he tirelessly campaigned to raise the profile of Maori Art. Dr Buck Nin's work was inspired by both his Maori and Chinese ancestry. His work is in the collections of University of Hawaii, Te Papa, The New Dowse, Manawatu Art Gallery, COCA, Aigantighe Art Museum, Rotorua Museum of Art and History and Waikato Museum of Art and History. Buck Nin became a major force in the contemporary Maori art movement with his strongly individual style of painting, his teaching, and his willingness to work with people from all walks of life. Buck was a larger than life person not only because of his physical size but also because of his considerable intellect, his energy, his powerful and often large paintings and his commitment to the development of art and its people, the imagery in his work drawn from Maori carving, weaving and rafter patterns, spread across a minimalist landscape.

The earliest auction listing we have for Buck Nin is in 1994 and in total 92 works by the artist have been offered for sale, of which 65 (71%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $77,914 for Untitled sold by Webb's in August 2021. This year 2 works have been offered for sale. Works by Buck Nin are held by the Auckland Art Gallery, Museum Of New Zealand and Christchurch Art Gallery.