Surging values for postwar and contemporary works are inspiring dealers and collectors to rediscover artists long overlooked.

A painting by one of the country's most acclaimed artists has been sold to a private collector in Auckland.

Duirng the lead up to summer, women are expected to wax, primp and polish their bodies to beach-ready perfection - a set of beauty standards that photographer Jessica Ledwidch finds 'absurd'.

As a former leader of the free world George W Bush had significantly greater access to world leaders than other budding artists. Which is why his art is so, er, surprising.

In her surreal photo series, Monstrous Feminine, the Melbourne-based artist, Jessica Ledwich, aims to show the number of ways women are conditioned to treat themselves, often using physical harm or pain, in order to appear 'beautiful'.

Kiwis who have excelled in the fashion, business and singing fields were the latest achievers to be made companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit today.

His 'medium' is coffee, his palette is espresso and steamed milk and his only tool is a cocktail skewer.

Wanganui artist Julian Priest will watch his satellite being launched into orbit from Cape Canaveral at 10.41pm on Sunday.

A comedy promoter has apologised for dropping a female comic from a bill after claiming to have come under pressure from a venue to reduce the number of women he had booked to appear there.

The Harbourview sculpture trail is open daily 8 - 30 March 2014.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is about to take her final operatic curtain call, confirming that her cameo in a production at London's Royal Opera House will be her last role.

Images reproduced with permission from Lazy Days: Painting the kiwi lifestyle by Graham Young, published by New Holland, $29.99.