Started in 1988, Billy Apple’s From the Collection… series engaged art collectors in a relationship that was conceptual as well as financial. By bringing the transaction between artist and buyer centre stage, Billy made ownership details – often unstated, or located discretely in a wall label like this one – the content of the painting itself. The series expanded to include a range of corporate, private and public collections, including Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. While Billy’s distinctive typography and spatial arrangement (influenced by the golden ratio) were non-negotiable, he agreed the finer details of the works with each prospective owner – colour, shape, size, even the inclusion of corporate logos. In this case, the Gallery requested the addition of a macron for ‘Waiwhetū’.