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The annual RMIT Union Arts "New Collectables" auction has come and gone. The night is known as a wonderful showcase of art produced by RMIT students, and 2009 was no exception. The bidding was slow, not just to begin with, but all night; the crowd was dampened by the heavy rain outside, and undoubtedly many prospective bidders were perturbed by the dark stormy afternoon, and of course the gone but not forgotten Global Financial Crisis.
A great many of the works were unfortunately passed in by the auctioneer, and those that did sell did not soar to great heights. One unremarkable oil painting depicting the head of a man with an outpouring of red liquid from his mouth topped the bidding for the night fetching over $400.
Many stunning pieces from the Drawing department did not sell, and in the area of gold and Silversmithing the pieces barely made enough to cover the costs of their precious materials, let alone enough to pay the rent or buy a Meredith ticket. this was in part due to a lack of 'auctioneer zeal', with the man holding the hammer, clad in gold sequin jacket, undoubtedly put out by the small and unenthusiastic audience, his nerves were palpable.
The night however was an overall success, and an opportunity for RMIT students to display their work to the public in a professional environment.
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