FOR ART’S SAKE
Art infuses every inch of Sir James Wallace’s Epsom home – all of which he has given to New Zealand
A hidden mansion filled with art collected by philanthropist Sir James Wallace
Down a concealed lane, deep in an acre of woodland in central Auckland lives Sir James Wallace: a man who has spent more than five decades creating a footprint of New Zealand contemporary art, a valuable and allinclusive collection he has given to the country.
A portion of his 9000-piece trove is held at his home (also donated to the public), a four-storey mansion called Rannoch in Epsom. Here Sir James has welcomed famous opera singers, movie stars, royals, prime ministers and governors-general to countless gatherings, including the odd “riotous party”.
Sir James lives in the seven-bedroom house with his two dogs, fox terrier Robbie and Jack Russell Lass, along with house manager and internationally trained private butler Anthony Lugo Sharpe and other staff. At the moment Sir James is looking for an artist to join them for a year at Rannoch, just one of the half a dozen artists’ residencies he funds here and overseas, including placements in the US, Switzerland and Russia.
“If they are good company we’ll go to plays, opera, theatre and ballet. I’m out almost every night to something like that. I have a very low boredom threshold; I have to be kept engaged,” says Sir James, who plans to build an artist’s apartment and studio at the 1130sqm house. “I have a suite of rooms upstairs of my own and I can easily get away from everything. We certainly aren’t flatmates.”
When he’s not in New Zealand, circulating in the New Zealand arts and theatre scenes, Sir James, 78, is likely to be found on the slopes. Approximately every three months he skis either in Europe, North or South America or New Zealand. >
In February, he combined a skiing trip to Park City, Utah, with attending the premiere of Hunt for the Wilderpeople at the Sundance Film Festival, as an executive producer of the film. Sir James not only helped fund the movie, but also opened Rannoch for a “pretty wild” wrap party where Sam Neill showed off his disco skills in the great hall.
The expansive home, built between 1913 and 1915 by architect James Lloyd, is central to Sir James’ arts philanthropy. He bought the property 25 years ago, after falling in love with its grand architectural style. “It provides handsome spaces for the arts, entertainment and hospitality,” says Sir James, who hosted more than 60 events at the house in the past year.
He’s made changes over the years: creating a covered portico that leads guests into an entrance gallery – opening into a 65sqm double height hall, which has wonderful acoustics for concerts – and adding extra gallery spaces in the basement and top floor. Outside, more than 130 sculptures are dotted through the garden.
Sir James has surrounded himself with art and music, passions that were sparked during the self-proclaimed Cambridge country boy’s years at Auckland’s King’s College. “There was a great tradition of music driven by LCM Saunders [director of music] and the headmaster. You could get your half colours in singing, if you couldn’t in rugby, so you could still hold your head up in your house.” >
At 16, he won a scholarship to study in Boston, Massachusetts and later travelled to Europe where his love of the arts was cemented. “It was there I was introduced to serious stuff – my first big opera, museums of that area of Boston and New York; it was quite an eye-opener.”
On his return, Sir James studied law and worked as the company secretary and company solicitor for Kerridge Odeon and then Fisher & Paykel. When he embarked on his own business ventures, his surplus funds went towards purchasing art.
“It was my policy to take a punt on artists while they were still at art school or very young, when they need the money. Today, I wouldn’t pay a tenth of what some of these pieces by established artists are going for,” he says. “As I could afford it, I kept up with them as they kept developing.” Some of those artists are now huge names: Colin McCahon, Toss Woollaston, Philip Trusttum, Dick Frizzell and Pat Hanly.
“I have and continue to have the advantage of a lot of exposure to contemporary art – looking at art overseas, reading books and so on.” Deciding what’s worth buying is a punt, “but you do train your eye,” says Sir James. >
Every second Saturday, Sir James visits up to 24 art galleries in Auckland and during the week peruses works sent to him from galleries pitching art for his collection: “They know not to send me rubbish.”
He vows never to sell any work, disagreeing with those who periodically cull their collections. “That can be a mistake, as artists can come back into fashion. In Europe at one point, the Pre-Raphaelites went out of fashion and were deacquisitioned and then they came back into fashion; very validly into fashion.”
Sir James doesn’t hesitate to share his opinions about who he feels is overrated in the modern art scene. “[Gordon] Walters did this beautiful koru and traded on it forever. Some contemporary artists find a successful formula which t hey t hen exploit endlessly without further development or invention.”
To make sure his collection is comprehensive, he buys pieces that “challenge” him and also collects works by artists who never became famous, but who have played their part in New Zealand art history.
“They’ve all got something going for them,” he says, “or else I wouldn’t have bought them.” Rannoch appears on New Zealand Home, which screens on TV One on Fridays at 7.30pm.