Thérèse Rein delivers moving speech at New Beginnings launch [17.11.2008]

The Prime Minister of Australia's wife, businesswoman and patron of the Indigenous Literacy Project, Thérèse Rein, gave a positive and moving speech at the launch of the latest McCulloch & McCulloch book: New Beginnings: Classic Paintings from the Corrigan Collection of 21st Century Aboriginal Art at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane last Wednesday night.

In what was a historical moment for Australia, the inroads made through Aboriginal art in the process of reconciliation was acknowledged in speeches by both Thérèse and the book's author, Emily McCulloch Childs.

Speaking to a large crowd of friends, family, artists (many in Brisbane for the launch of the gallery's Optimism show), art dealers, fellow collectors, curators, writers and librarians, Thérèse expressed her 'great pleasure' at being invited to launch the book, and spoke of Pat Corrigan's importance as a collector and patron.

She expressed her impressions of what she called a 'beautiful book', noting the quality of the works displayed in it, which she called 'beautiful, intriguing, stunning, powerful vibrant, exquisite and spiritual'.

'Pat's generosity has been a huge encouragement to the new Indigenous artists,' she said 'It has allowed them to flourish and develop – and to encourage others to speak through art.'

She noted the 'new beginning'; the healing that had been brought about by her husband's Apology to the Stolen Generations, and that she was proud to say that several major Indigenous paintings now hung in the dining room of The Lodge.

'The publication of this beautiful book is one more of the new beginning' she said.

Susan McCulloch, Pat Corrigan and the book's author, Emily McCulloch Childs also spoke at the launch.

For the complete transcripts of Thérèse and Emily's speeches, please visit our media page.

Pat Corrigan, Emily McCulloch Childs and Therese Rein at the launch of New Beginnings