Celebrating artists, encouraging connectivity, reflecting on Pablos’ 30 years and raising money for its daily operations are the aims of Pablos Art Studios' auction on 6 November at Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa National Library of New Zealand in Wellington.

Anastasija Bubanja, Manager of Pablos Art Studio, says the popular annual Pablos Art Auction is a meaningful way to remind us how vital creativity and the community are for our mental wellbeing.

"Creating a community and a home for artists makes Pablos Art Studios a vital part of Wellington," she says. "The auction is a way for our artists to get involved and give back to the Pablos’ community and feel part of the wider community of Wellington." 

The Pablos Art Auction will be held in the foyer of the National Library. “This location has a special meaning as it symbolises preservation and connection to the past, which is also the theme of this year's auction as Pablos reflects on its 30-year journey,” Anastasija says.

Going through Pablos' archives inspired a recent art project called Connecting the Past, which will be displayed on the auction night. "We went through our art collection, exhibition archives and art library, and were amazed by Pablos’ journey.

“Inspired by that process, we invited artists to respond to a selection of works from our art collection to celebrate the studio and its artists' legacy," Anastasija says.

Reflecting on memories and stories of the past

Menno Huibers, senior art tutor at Pablos, says the reflections were a catalyst to instigate memories and stories of the past, talk about past artists, and highlight the changes, the kaupapa and Pablos’ important role in the community.

“Connecting the Past highlights how the people who use the space make this space,” Menno says.

Pablos’ artists continued with a similar project at the National Library where librarians opened its collections to the artists to get inspired and make new creations during the year. These works will also be displayed at the auction.

Preparation for the auction has been underway for most of the year. Menno says the work starts long before the auction date, with a long list of tasks that need to be completed for the auction night to go smoothly.

"The whole team pitches in for the tasks that need to get done from start to finish," he says. "We try to streamline the process to ease stress and work levels both during preparation and on the night."

Preparation done by small Pablos' team

From promotional work, monitoring ticket sales, and collecting and curating artworks, all of the preparation is done by Pablos' small team.

"It is really great to see the studio gather together and put in the hard mahi for a common cause such as the auction," Menno says.

The auction will be structured similarly to previous years, with a live auction in Te Ahumairangi Foyer running simultaneously with a silent auction in the adjoining Programme Rooms, Te Wehenga and Malaga Pasifika.

The auction will feature works from Pablos’ artists, such as Reece Tong and Luke Sullivan, alongside the work of well-known New Zealand artists. It will include works donated for the first time by artists such as Séraphine Pick and Kirsty Lillico, as well as works from artists who have supported Pablos for

 a long time such as Nigel Brown, Dr Grant Corbishley, Vincent Duncan, Cecily Guarrera and Johanna Grant-Mackie.

Promoting connectivity and community

Pablos has invited other creative spaces in the region to donate work to the auction as a way to promote connectivity and community. For example, MIX, a creative space in Lower Hutt, has donated more than ten artworks for the auction.

The organisers hope this will help build an ongoing relationship with these spaces.

Pablos Art Studio is grateful to the National Library for its partnership for this year's auction, sharing their venue and the opportunity to recognise and celebrate Pablos’ artists and the art they create.

"The partnership with the National Library highlights the shared values of our commitment to human rights and creating inclusive public spaces that preserve art," Anastasija says.

"We thank Manager Public Experience, Zoe Roland, and Public Experience Coordinator Reuben Love, for their unwavering support throughout the year and Research Librarian Pictorial, Kimberley Stephenson, and Research Librarian Māori, Katrina Tamaira, for opening their collections to Pablos’ artists," Anastasija says.

Tickets to the Pablos Art Auction 2024 are $30 (plus $4.05 in fees). Buy your tickets online at Eventfinda