THE ART COLLECTOR

One of his most famous works, WHAAM!, 1963 is a large, two-canvas painting by the American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein that takes its composition from a comic book strip.

Right-Hand Panel, size 75 cm x 64 cm unframed, Original Offset Lithograph diptych on thick wove paper, Published by The Tate Gallery, London and printed in Great Britain, 1982 from the original created by Roy Lichtenstein in 1963.  

The left-hand canvas, size 75 cm x 64 cm unframed, features an American fighter plane firing a missile into the right-hand canvas and hitting an approaching enemy plane; above the American plane, the words of the pilot appear in a yellow bubble: ‘I PRESSED THE FIRE CONTROL… AND AHEAD OF ME ROCKETS BLAZED THROUGH THE SKY…’. The outline of the resulting explosion emanates in yellow, red and white; the work’s onomatopoeic title, ‘WHAAM!’, jags diagonally upwards to the left from the fireball in yellow, as if in visual response to the words of the pilot. 

The piece is rendered in the formal tradition of machine-printed comic strips with thick black lines enclosing areas of primary colour and lettering, with uniform areas of Ben-Day dots, purple for the shading on the main fighter plane and blue for the background of the sky.

Lichtenstein was an American pop artist. During the 1960s, along with Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and James Rosenquist among others, he became a leading figure in the new art movement. His work defined the premise of pop art through parody. Inspired by the comic strip, Lichtenstein produced precise compositions that documented while they parodied, often in a tongue-in-cheek manner. His work was influenced by popular advertising and the comic book style. His artwork was considered to be "disruptive". He described pop art as "not 'American' painting but actually industrial painting". His paintings were exhibited at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City. 

Is this piece for you? Contact cantabrianmagazine@gmail.com for more details. Private viewings by appointment only. 

In an extraordinary moment for Canterbury’s art scene, one of Banksy’s most recognised works, Forgive Us Our Trespassing, is now available for private viewings and for purchase. Last sold at an Auckland auction for $11,000, this piece offers collectors a rare opportunity to own a fragment of street-art history, right here in Aotearoa.

Originally appearing in the 2010 documentary 'Exit Through the Gift Shop', Forgive Us Our Trespassing captures the quiet tension between reverence and rebellion. A hooded figure haloed in graffiti, seeking redemption through defiance. It’s a visual prayer for the modern age, one that feels especially resonant in Christchurch, a city rebuilt on creativity and conviction.

The timing couldn’t be more fitting. With the Banksy exhibition set to open in Christchurch this December, the city’s relationship with street art comes full circle, from earthquake-scarred walls to world-class collections. Forgive Us Our Trespassing stands as both a prelude and a provocation: an artwork that challenges, redeems, and redefines what ownership of art truly means.

Private viewings are now open for serious collectors who want a chance to acquire not just a print, but a piece of cultural commentary that continues to shape how we see the streets and ourselves.

We begin this series with an extraordinary work now available for purchase by the Spanish master Joan Miró.

Joan Miró (1893–1983)

“Barcelona Series XXX, 1944”

A serigraph (silkscreen) from the renowned Barcelona Series of 1944, this work is Number 30 of the set of 50 compositions originally created from Miró’s transfer to stone. What makes this edition truly rare is its designation: Epreuve d’artiste (EA), or Artist’s Proof. Produced in very small numbers and reserved for Miró himself, Artist’s Proofs are considered more valuable than the standard edition.

Signed: “Miró 1944” lower right

Mark: EA, lower left (Artist’s Proof)

Edition: 300 copies (this proof outside the main run) An exclusive edition of 300 produced from the original plates Miró created by the Miro Foundation.

Size: 54cm x 71cm

Produced: Taller Vallirana, Barcelona, for the Fundació Joan Miró

The Barcelona Series has long been celebrated for its vitality: a universe of figures and creatures rendered with freedom and invention, expressing the subconscious and childlike wonder that defined Miró’s Surrealist legacy. Today, his works are housed in two dedicated museums: the Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona (1975) and the Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró in Palma (1981).

This particular piece offers collectors not only an accredited work of one of the 20th century’s most important artists, but also the intimacy of owning a proof that once symbolised Miró’s personal hold over his own creations.

Price $6500 NZD (framed)

Private viewings are available by appointment only. To inquire about this work or future offerings from The Collectors Page, contact Cantabrian Magazine directly.