Birds of Paradise: Collecting Art as a Group
Ahead of Select’s final gallery catalogue event of 2026, Birds of Paradise art collective members Kirsten, Anthea, and Louise reflect on sixteen years of collecting art together. The women share the collective’s first significant acquisition, the enduring value of shared collecting, and why size and price are ultimately secondary considerations.
Bringing the year to a close, Webb’s spring Select catalogue presents an exceptional selection of works by some of the most influential and sought-after artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, alongside compelling early-career contemporary talent.
Formed after a lecture on art collectives, the fifteen-member group has spent sixteen years learning to collect, argue and decide together.
Three of their members spoke to Webb's ahead of the group's gallery talk about how Birds of Paradise began, what it has learned, and what it looks for in a work.
Lot 17. Don Binney, Takahe III, 1971, charcoal, graphite and pastel on paper, 760 x 1000mm. EST. $20,000—$30,000
How did Birds of Paradise come together, how long has the collective been going, and why did you choose the name ‘Birds of Paradise’?
The idea for Birds of Paradise began after Kathy attended a lecture at Auckland University by Warwick Henderson in the early 2000s. He introduced the concept of art collectives, and the idea really appealed to her/ me. Several years later, the subject came up with Kristin and Karen over dinner, who had heard about similar groups through friends. That evening, we decided to invite a few friends each and form our own art group of 15 members.
We were fortunate that existing art collectives were willing to share their founding constitutions with us, which gave us a useful starting point. Birds of Paradise has now been collecting for more than 16 years. We held our first auction in 2018, by which time we had acquired 34 works during our first decade.
The name was one of several suggestions put forward to the group and was chosen by a vote. Carolyn had been out walking that morning and had seen the bird-of-paradise flower. The name seemed to capture the idea of a group of “birds” living in “paradise”. It is light-hearted and a little bit of fun, and it has certainly been a conversation starter over the years. We have all become rather fond of it.
What was the first work you purchased as a collective, and what made it the right choice for the group?
Our first purchase was Glimpse by Christina Popovici, acquired from SOCA Gallery. The work measured 910 x 1980 mm and was from her 2008 solo exhibition.
In hindsight, it probably was not the easiest choice for a first collective purchase. It was very large and heavy, and moving it at rotation time became quite a challenge, particularly with the large protective box made for it. However, it was an exciting way to begin, and the experience taught us a great deal about the practicalities of collecting as a group.
During the first three years, we refined our acquisition parameters, including considerations around size, weight and transport logistics. We were also learning that the term “emerging artist” could mean something quite different to each member of the group.
The members from Birds of Paradise art collective, December 2025.
What in the current Select auction has particularly caught the group’s eye, and why?
The current buying group is in its final quarter, and the members will be attending the Select auction to view the works together. We are looking forward to seeing the selection in person before deciding what particularly catches our eye.
One of the pleasures of collecting as a group is the discussion that takes place around each work. We are interested not only in the individual appeal of a piece, but also in how it might fit within the wider collection and meet the practical considerations we have learned to keep in mind over the years.
What is it about Select’s mix of emerging, established, and accessible works that resonates with the way you collect, and what role do smaller or more affordable works play in the development of your collection?
Select’s mix resonates with our approach because our group has always been about learning, exploring and making decisions together. We enjoy the opportunity to consider work by artists at different stages of their careers, while remaining mindful of accessibility and the practical realities of collecting as a group.
Smaller or more affordable works can play an important role in developing a collection. They allow a group to discover new artists, take considered risks and continue collecting without every acquisition needing to be a major logistical or financial undertaking.
Ultimately, the value of a work for us is not determined solely by its scale or price. It is about the conversation it generates, the connection it creates with the group, and the way it contributes to the character and development of the collection.
Select's mix of emerging, established and accessible work resonates with that approach. The group has always been about learning and deciding together, and smaller or more affordable works play a particular role: they allow the group to discover new artists and take considered risks without every acquisition becoming a major financial or logistical undertaking. Ultimately, for Birds of Paradise, a work's value isn't determined by its scale or price, but by the conversation it generates and what it contributes to the collection.
Featured Auction Highlights
Lot 11. Judy Millar, untitled, 2006, acrylic on canvas, 1335 x 930mm.
EST. $18,000—$25,000
Lot 22. Peter Robinson, untitled, c. 1992, oil on canvas board, 375 x 450mm.
EST. $10,000—$16,000
Lot 9. Marc Chagall, L'Artiste Dans Le Village, 1969, lithograph on paper, 510 x 360mm. EST. $6,000—$10,000
Lot 5. Kushana Bush, Rebel Angels, 2022, lithograph on paper, edition 28 of 32, signed, dated and title inscribed, 490 x 640mm.
EST. $3,000—$5,000
Lot 8. Chris Booth, Maquette for Rainbow Warrior Memorial, 2006, bronze on marble base, edition 6 of 20, signed, dated and title inscribed, 190 x 255 x 100mm \(widest points). EST. $10,000—$14,000
This concluding Select catalogue of the year brings together an exceptional selection of works including those by Don Binney, Chris Booth, Nigel Brown, Kushana Bush, Claudia Kogachi, Robyn Kahukiwa, Allen Maddox, Raymond McIntyre, Fiona Pardington, Peter Robinson, Ian Scott, Peter Stichbury, Shane Cotton, Tony de Lautour, Fatu Feu'u and Milli Jannides, among many others.
14—28 September
Select | Online Art Auction
Contact
Georgina Brett
Specialist, Select
[email protected]
+64 27 929 5609
Sophie Thorn
Wellington | Specialist, Art
[email protected]
+64 22 080 8405
Gallery Talk Event
Saturday 26 September, 11am
On View
23—28 September
33a Normanby Road, Mount Eden
Bidding Closes
Monday 28 September, from 8pm