One of the country's most significant private art collections has been destroyed by fire.
John and Lynda Matthews were woken by smoke alarms in their home in Omata near New Plymouth early on Tuesday morning and managed to escape, but their extensive art collection built up over decades was destroyed.
Firefighters who attended couldn't put the blaze out and the house was destroyed.
Mr Matthews says he and his wife's extensive collection of contemporary New Zealand art and sculpture is also lost, which he says is very sobering.
He says he thinks the fire may have started from a neon globe light on one of their works.
Mr Matthews says it is now a personal decision for the couple as to whether to begin a new collection and they will need to think about it.
Loss of collection 'disastrous'
The loss of the collection is being described as disastrous for New Zealand art.
Collector Jim Barr says John Matthews built up his collection over a period of decades and works by many contemporary well-known New Zealand artists such as Michael Smither, Tony Fomison, Don Driver and Ralph Hotere will have been destroyed.
"It's terrible news and John has been such a passionate collector of art and a real force in arts for New Zealand. Anyone in the arts business would know about him and many would know of some of the things he's collected over the years. I mean, it's a disaster."
Mr Barr says Mr Matthews is closely associated with the Len Lye Foundation and his passion for New Zealand art was reflected in his idiosyncratic and extensive collection.
Rahna Devenport, director of the Auckland Art Gallery, worked closely with John Matthews while a curator at New Plymouth's Govett-Brewster Gallery.
Ms Devenport says the Matthews had a personal connection with the artists, as well as the art they collected, and are great philanthropists.
She says it is devastating to realise that so much culturally significant art has gone and would not be surprised if the insurance value ran into the millions of dollars.
Well-known sculptor Judy Darragh had two works in the Matthews' collection. She says John Matthews was one of the first people to buy her work and the couple are great supporters of the visual arts in New Zealand.
Ms Darragh says it's hard to believe that the large kinetic sculptural garden has also gone and that is very upsetting.
