A self-confessed Nicolas Cage impersonator from Wellington has spent $705 purchasing the worst thing to come out of Hamilton since . . . well, maybe ever.
A bidding war for the mangled drawing of former politician and radio broadcaster Michael Laws ended on Saturday night when a TradeMe auction for the “horrible painting of Michael Laws” closed.
The artist, Waikato Times columnist Josh Drummond, is slightly disturbed and happy that someone bought the work which has haunted him for two years.
“I would have been very happy if it had sold for 20 bucks to someone who wasn’t going to give it back to me as a joke,” he said.
The sale of the artwork, which measures 25cm by 25cm, has caused great relief in the Drummond household as the departure of the painting nears.
And Drummond’s wedding, later this year, will benefit from the sale.
“My fiancee thinks it’s brilliant it’s out of the house; she hated it from the get go. She’s very happy Michael Laws’ face could pay for our wedding cake.”
The painting was created for a charity auction entitled “free speech” in 2012.
Laws’ face was chosen after he said “something” that annoyed Drummond.
“I thought ‘what’s the cost of free speech Dickheads’,” Drummond said.
“So I decided to paint Michael Laws.”
After two failed attempts at selling the horrible work, Drummond is open about his feelings on the piece as he packs up the art to go.
“There is a certain misplaced affection for the horrible thing. I was reasonably happy with it as a painting,” he said of the painting that is hidden in a box.
The painting’s new owner, Matt from Wellington, is in China and uncontactable . But his TradeMe profile says he often impersonates Hollywood actor Nic Cage.
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