Rugby Nude
Framer snaps up forward's rear view
It is not the behind of the person painted, but rather the person behind the brushwork in the Anton Oliver portrait that prompted Chris Collins to buy it.
Dunedin picture framer Chris Collins paid $16,750 for the picture of the 1.84m, 111kg All Black standing naked against a wall. The work, painted by Otago artist Simon Richardson, is titled Back Field. But Collins did not buy the piece because he is rugby-mad, he bought it because he adores Richardson's "exquisite work". He admires Oliver, also an art-lover, for whom Collins has framed many paintings over the years. "To me it's not a painting of an All Black. It's a painting of Simon's - an intelligent guy whose work I really admire." Collins, an art-lover who owns a houseful of works, framed Back Field and six other portraits by Richardson for his exhibition An Otago Perspective, which opens on Friday at Auckland's Jonathan Grant Galleries.
Dad's at home, and all's right with the world
LATE last month, Australian Democrats senator Natasha Stott Despoja announced she would not contest the next election because she wanted to spend more time with her young family. As a politician, Stott Despoja works a minimum of 60 hours a week. There are functions to attend in the evening, planes to catch, constituents to see, legislation to prepare. She has been finding it pretty much impossible to have enough time for her toddler son. Sometimes he is in one city while she is in another. So she is giving it away. When the story was first published in The Australian and elsewhere, many readers reacted warmly. Mums, in particular, could completely understand why Stott Despoja felt that her son's childhood was slipping away, never to be recaptured. Others made the point that it was easy for her to be quitting the rat-race since she will get a pension worth at least $67,000 a year for life.
LONG 'ASKED TO QUIT BRITAIN TOUR'
Sean Long quit the Tri-Nations Series after a heart-to-heart talk with Great Britain coach Brian Noble, it has emerged. The St Helens scrum-half, one of rugby league's most colourful characters, stunned the Lions camp with his decision to return home to England just five days before their crucial re-match with Australia. Britain need to avoid defeat by the Kangaroos in Brisbane to pip New Zealand for a place in the November 25 final at Aussie Stadium. Great Britain manager Abi Ekoku said: "Sean Long returned home this afternoon at his own request. "That was supported by the coaching staff and the management team. It's a decision the player has come to that we have no option but to support really." Long, who was the hero of Britain's tremendous 23-12 win over Australia in Sydney 10 days ago, made his decision in the wake of their 34-4 trouncing by New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday, the Lions' worst defeat by the Kiwis in 99 years of Test-match rugby.
|
