Wai Art

All good things come to an end. After a decade of buying New Zealand artworks, the Wai Art group is calling it a day. And they're privatizing their collection by selling it - to themselves.

When it comers to setting a reserve price for each of the works, this bunch of Wairarapa art enthusiasts are playing both vendors and buyers. Which makes for some interesting dynamics. But will the inherent tensions offset what has been a decade long positive experience?

Mike Gourley is the one outsider let into the internal auction, and looks back over the final year of Wai Art.