Vew from the chair: Speeches of Richard WL Austin

Moreover, through the tea ceremony, the appreciation of the ceramic art has, over the centuries, extended far and deep into the consciousness of the Japanese people. It is not by chance that in the middle of the Idemitsu Museum there stands an elegantly structured tea house to remind us of this relationship. 'What is this thing called tea ceremony?', a Zen poet once asked of himself, and he made answer: It is the voice of the wind among pine trees drawn in black ink. This evening we are being given a rare opportunity to experience this 'wind in the pines' and it will provide us with delight as well as enlightenment. But one must not forget that this experience would not have been available to us without the generous sponsorship of ARCO Coal Australia Inc. I thank Mr Jack Anderson, President of the company, for this, and I welcome Mr Skip Bilhartz, President of the parent company in Denver, Colorado, and Mrs Bilhartz to the Gallery. ARCO Coal Australia is a strong and faithful supporter of the Queensland Art Gallery with a long history both as sponsor and Foundation Member, and for this we are extremely grateful. This sponsorship was organised through the Foundation and I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Sir David Langland, the Executive Director since its establishment in 1979, who sadly died last week. Sir David will be truly missed by all of us at the Gallery, both as a friend and colleague and as the dynamic force behind the Gallery's fund raising body. 3 ARCO Coal's generous sponsorship in the past under its former Company title, Anaconda, has helped the Gallery to fulfil its objective of providing a major service to the community of this State, particularly the regional community. In 1983-84 the company sponsored the exhibition 'L.J. Harvey and His School', which toured extensively throughout Queensland following its display here in Brisbane. In 1986 it sponsored 'The Australian Landscape' exhibition, which was a milestone in the development of the Queensland Art Gallery's Extension Services Program. That exhibition was the largest and most valuable ever to tour so widely within an Australian State. Now the company's patronage has enabled the Gallery to bring to the people of Australia the most superlative collection of Japanese ceramics ever seen in this country. ARCO Coal deserves to be warmly congratulated for its corporate support of the arts in this State and we thank the Company sincerely. I also want to thank the Australian Government for its invaluable assistance and support in providing indemnity for this exhibition; and Japan Airlines for its transport of these delicate treasures from Japan. And last, but by no means least, I want to thank the Premier, Mr Ahern. His commitment to the arts in Queensland is well known and we are most grateful to him, in his capacity as Minister for the Arts, for being here with us this evening and for agreeing once again to open an exhibition in this Gallery. Thank you, Sir. And now I would ask you to express your appreciation of the roles played by all those connected with this splendid exhibition in the usual way. 20