Vew from the chair: Speeches of Richard WL Austin

is by no means static. We are continuing our efforts to attract more donors and thus to add to the more than $550 000 already donated by the six Japanese companies. Japanese companies and organisations have set the pace in their support for this Fund and the Triennial, and we hope such generous support will continue into the future. I would like to take this opportunity to mention another initiative which acknowledges the Gallery's and, indeed, Australia's growing links with Japan. I am referring to the ARCO Gallery of Asian Art which the Premier opened recently. This gallery and the collections on display-the masterpieces from Japan's Six Old Kilns, the Japanese screens and the ukiyo-e prints-were all provided through corporate funding, and two of the companies were Japanese companies. Two jars from the Six Old Kilns are still on approval, so to speak, and the Gallery is hoping that donors will come forward to claim them. It now gives me great pleasure to call upon the Premier to address us. 12 Speech to accept the Myer Foundation gift, at the Media Preview, Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, 17 September 1993 It is an honour, as well as a pleasure, to accept from Mr Michael Myer, on behalf of the Trustees of the Queensland Art Gallery, this extremely generous donation made by the Myer Foundation. This will establish the Kenneth and Yasuko Myer Collection of Contemporary Asian Art as a fitting and appropriate tribute to the spirit and memory of two remarkable people who, throughout their lives, made a vast contribution to Australia. Their love of art, in particular Asian art, was well known and they had a deep commitment to developing awareness and appreciation of the cultural values of Asian countries in Australia. This collection will help to acknowledge their efforts in this regard and will be a permanent and tangible reminder of their contribution to cultural understanding and to Australia in general. Just before the untimely accident which caused their death, Kenneth Myer recalled the motto of the Junior School at Geelong Grammar, where he had been educated: 'From those unto whom much is given, much is expected'; and he said: 'J"o the best of my ability I've tried to follow that through'. There is no doubt that he successfully fulfilled this motto, by his generous and far-reaching contributions to Australia in a wide range of fields of endeavour. He was a philanthropist in every sense of that word. Personal qualities for which Ken Myer was noted and for which he will be remembered were his enthusiasm, vitality, warmth and imagination, his wholehearted commitment to all his endeavours, his sense of humour, his breadth of vision and, above all, his generosity-generosity with money, time and friendship. His wife, Yasuko, gave him strong and unfailing support in everything that he did. They will both be remembered as great Australians and the Gallery is proud to have been given the opportunity by the Myer Foundation gift to enshrine their memory here in Brisbane. 34