A gay Aucklander has voiced his shock over Mission Bay's ‘Pink House' sudden repaint to ‘dung-olive green'. The art deco bungalow nicknamed ‘Coconut Ice' had been it's legendary pink colour since 1969. Bain Duigan, architectural graduate and former Express newspaper photographer and graphic designer, contacted the NZ Herald to draw their attention to the colour-change. “My artist friend Simon Stockley who grew up travelling along auckland's waterfront Tamaki Drive, painted five versions of the pink house and sold the first four and had the fifth and final version hanging on his wall,” Duigan explains. “I bought it off him as a special Christmas present for my parents Mike and Judi, since they can see it from their house in Devonport and since Mum has admired the 'coconut ice' since she was a child. “On Boxing Day the artist called to say he'd just driven past and it had been painted dung-olive green! My parents looked through the binoculars across the harbour to find the Mediterranean-style house had been 'drabbed out' and when they drove over to have a closer look there was a banner hanging from the window with the word 'PINK' painted on it.” Duigan says he can't work out why anyone would buy an icon without not recognising and respecting why it had become iconic. “I think the new colour is 'out of era and out of keeping' and degrades the character of an much loved landmark" The owners of the house did not want to comment on the story, says the Herald. The house on the prime waterfront site on Tamaki Drive fetched $1.95 million when it sold in 2003, after being in the hands of the same family for 50 years. Photos of Duigan with his Simon Stockley pink house painting are on the links below. Stockley is also known for his work producing racey Urge Bar advertisments and posters. Ref: GayNZ.com, New Zealand Herald (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Monday, 22nd January 2007 - 12:00pm