Artist Bill Hammond's bolthole up for sale

Bill Hammond's Wainui bach is going under the hammer, complete with art painted onto the walls and ceiling beams. Photo: Parallax Films

The bush-clad bolthole of one of New Zealand's most famous artists is on the market, complete with artworks painted directly on the walls.

The property was owned for more than 20 years by one of the country's most influential contemporary painters, Lyttelton artist Bill Hammond, who died in 2021.

The modest bach at Wainui on Christchurch's Banks Peninsula, will go under the hammer in late May.

But along with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a potbelly stove and just over 800m2 of land, the bach features Hammond's signature hybrid human-avian figures and other flora and fauna daubed onto walls and even the central ceiling beam.

Bill Hammond with one of his artworks. Photo: supplied

Olivia McLeavey, whose family gallery in Wellington has represented Hammond since 1987, said painting directly onto the walls was common practise for the artist.

"Some of the paintings that he painted there have obviously been sold through the gallery and various places. Some of them have been removed, some of the panelling and kept by the family. But there are still some really interesting dynamics works that are sold with the bach because he painted directly on the walls."

While she wasn't aware of other artists doing that in Aotearoa, Bloomsbury Group artists such as Vanessa Bell were well known for similar practices in early 20th century London.

"That was something they did, they adorned their private homes with these very beautiful works. And it was certainly something Bill always did. Other houses he's lived in that I visited, on numerous occasions I've witnessed him painting directly on the wall.

"He didn't like white walls, he wasn't a beige person."

Olivia McLeavey, and her late father, Peter McLeavey, represented Hammond since 1987, holding more than 20 exhibitions of his work at the McLeavey Gallery. Photo: Richard Brimer

McLeavey said Hammond had a long-running connection to Wainui, which is about an-hour-and-half from Christchurch.

"He's a South Island boy and then from Lyttelton. But as a child, he attended the YMCA camp at Wainiu many times and had really fond memories of it, so when he was in a position to purchase a bach ... that was the place that he wanted to base himself."

His work, which tackled social and environmental themes, is perhaps best known for the instantly recognisable birdlike figures - "a metaphor for humanity" - and primoridial landscapes he turned to in the1990s following a pivotal visit to the remote Auckland Islands.

The rudimentary bach is no surprise for McLeavey, who said Hammond was "a humble person."

"He wasn't caught up with the trappings of the material world or material wealth, and to escape to a haven that was very much a part of - or as close to - that natural world as he could be, I think it gave him a lovely sense of solace.

"If you look at the bach and the listing, you can see it's a long, long way from the cut and thrust of the art world. That allowed him to really focus on the natural world and immerse himself in that very special flora and fauna of the area.

"It's a place where tuis and bellbirds and godwits really rule the roost, and that was where he drew his well of creative inspiration from."

Melting Moments I by Bill Hammond. Photo: Webbs Auction House

Hammond's

Melting Moments 1

fetched one of the highest prices ever paid for a New Zealand artwork in 2023.

"It was really an 'Oh my god moment' when we walked in and saw the art work on the walls, it's something to behold," real estate agent Chris Mangels said.

"Essentially you're buying a Hammond and getting a free bach."

Purchasers may be interested in renovations, which could be done around the art works, he said.

"You absolutely couldn't get rid of it, but the house is definitely in the position that you could do it up around the art, which is quite unique and quite cool. It's almost like Banksy doing graffiti on your front fence."

But he did have one tip for any would-be purchasers:  "I wouldn't remove the central beam."

The modest bach at Wainui, Banks Peninsula, will go under the hammer in late May. Photo: Parallax Films

The 42m2 house, set on just over 800m2 of land, is relatively remote and surrounded by bush, and of course, birds.

Mangels described it as a "quintessential bach", and Wainui as "a pretty off-the-radar location."

He said it is perched just above the YMCA camp Hammond visited as a boy.

Mangels said there had been a lot of inquiries as soon as the property was listed this week, but that it was too soon to say if there was interest from any organisations hoping to preserve the property as a museum or artists retreat.

"It's early days, but it is a little bit of a time capsule."

He encouraged people to come through "even if they're just art lovers."

"It's just a really quaint little home in a really special environment. I can see why it would be an inspiring place to work from."