Vew from the chair: Speeches of Richard WL Austin

3 Vote of thanks at the opening of 'Japanese Ways, Western Means: Art of the 1980s in Japan', 19 September 1989 NOTE: THIS EXHIBITION WAS THE RETURN EXHIBITION OF JAPANESE CONTEMPORARY ART FOLLOWING 'PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS', THE EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN ART SHOWN IN SAITAMA IN JAPAN IN 1987. THE EXHIBITION CONSISTED OF SEVENTY-TWO WORKS BY FORTY-TWO CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE ARTISTS AND WAS THE FIRST EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE ART TO BE ORGANISED AND SHOWN IN AN AUSTRALIAN ART MUSEUM. IT WAS ORGANISED BY THE QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY AND THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, SAITAMA UNDER THE SISTER STATE AGREEMENT BETWEEN QUEENSLAND AND SAITAMA. Now that the serious speech-making is over, it remains for me to bring the formal part of this evening's proceedings to an end, by thanking all those who have had a part to play in them. First of all, of course, is His Excellency, the Governor of Queensland, Sir Walter Campbell. I seem to have been thanking Sir Walter rather a lot lately, which is hardly surprising, given his interest in, and devotion to, the Gallery. Indeed, if I may put it that way, we are inclined to regard him these days as a member of the Gallery team. Let it not be thought that we take him for granted. We are well aware how many other calls there are upon his time and energy, and we would be honoured by his presence, however infrequent. That he can be with us here so often does us all the more honour. We thank you, Sir Walter, for opening this exhibition with your accustomed grace and erudition. Next, I want to thank the Government of Queensland and the Japan Foundation for their generous financial assistance which has enabled the Gallery to present, for the first time in Australia, a comprehensive and historically significant exhibition of Japanese art of the 1980s. Next, and most importantly, I want to thank our Japanese friends and guests, without whom this exhibition would not have been possible. We are happy to have received a message from His Excellency the Governor of Saitama Prefecture, Mr Yawara Hata, and I would ask Mr Homma, the Museum's Director, to convey to him our sincere thanks and appreciation.' The city of Urawa, capital of Saitama Prefecture, has always welcomed most warmly members of the Gallery staff-and, indeed, myself.-when visiting the Museum of Modern Art there. Mr Homma and his staff have been especially kind and for that we thank them. We are delighted that so many of them are able to be present here this evening. I should like to congratulate Mr Homma on his fascinating and beautifully written introduction to the exhibition catalogue, interestingly but appropriately entitled 'Switching Channels'. The Gallery is fortunate to have as its opposite number in the Sister State relationship between Queensland and Saitama such an innovative and dynamic organisation as the Saitama Museum of Modern Art. And here, if you will forgive me, I should like to make a few brief comments about Japanese art itself. 21