AUSTRALIA,
FOR PRESS 10 May 1976
ADDRESS AT THE LAUNCHING OF A BOOK BY GUY BOYD
The last time I took part in a presentation with Guy
B~ oyd he was making the p-resentation. At that time we were
in the middle of a somewhat dramatic course of events
and Guy Boyd was offering some very welcome support.
The work that he presented obviously brought us luck. It
was followed very shortly by the greatest election victory
in Australia's history.
You will understand therefore why it is a very special
pleasure for me today to be taking part in a presentation
of a book on Guy Boyd's outstanding work.
In presenting this book on behalf of Guy Boyd, I hope that
it will have an enormous publishing success. It certainly
deserves to.
There must be an exceptional challenge to both artist,
authors and publisher in presenting the work of a distinguished
sculptor in book form.
Having browsed through an early copy of this book which was
sent to me I am impressed by the quality of the photography
and the sense of the works which the photographs convey.
I am not surprised to hear that the book has taken two years
to prepare, or that many of the sculptures had to be specially
treated so they could be effectively photographed. / 2
The authors Anne Von Bertouch and Professor Patrick
Hutchings have provided a fine accompainment to the photographs
and I am sure that Guy Boyd must be delighted with the
product. Lansdowne Editions are to be congratulated on their enterprise
in producing this volume.
The recognition of Guy Boyd's work by this book is a
tribute to the quality of-his skill and the wish of many people
that his work be more widely accessible.
Guy Boyd's work has been-exhibited widely in Australia, and
overseas. This book will help to bring it to a still wider
audience. Guy Boyd's wor'k indeed the work of his whole
family illustrates the great vitality of artistic life
in Australia a vitality too often underrated.
Through his work, Guy Boyd has helped to make this vitality know,, n
to people overseas as well as at home. In exhibiting his work
in other countries, Guy Boyd of course joins that very
distinguished band of Australians who are making Australian
art a vital part of the international artistic culture.
It must be of great value to Australian art for such interchanges
to take place for the best of Australian art to be exhibited
abroad and-for the best art of other countries to come to Australia.
Ensuring that Australians have access to the best art of other
countries is one area whcre I believe the Government can have a
useful role. Indleed, I believe, more generally, that the
Government can have a constructive role to play in encouraging
and facilitating the development of Australia's artistic life.
Such a role must always be treated with caution the tastes of
Governments are not renowned for their great sophistication.
And when Governments rely on the tastes of a few they run the
risk of favouring one section of the arts, one school, over
another. 3
If Government is to take a role in the encouragement of
artistic endeavour it must do so with great sensitivity.
In the absence of such sensitivity it would be all too easy
for our artistic life to be distorted by the whims of a few.
There is hardly an area of the arts where Australia has not
excelled. The growing vitality of the arts in Australia is
largely spontaneous but can certainly be helped by well-conceived
actions of the Government.
Previous Federal Liberal and Country Party Governments
took a keen interest in encouraging the creative and -performing
arts in Australia. They established the Commonwealth Literary
Board, the Australian National Gallery, the Arts Council and
they took the first steps in the establishement of the Film
Corporation. I am pleased to recall that as Minister I took
an active part in establishinig the Canberra School of" Music.
A Government Parties Committee has now been established
undcer the Chairmanship of David Hamer to assist it in developing
the arts in Australia. During the Parliamentary recess this
Committee will be visiting all States and meeting with people
involved in the arts.
I have been personally concerned that the Government's activities in
promoting creative artists endeavour in Australia should
remain with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and
the Committee I have just referred to will be reporting directly
to me.
Yoei will all know that the Government is very concerned at the
present time to review all areas of Government spending.
Cabinet, in fact, has been meeting over the last few days for
precisely this purpose. Every area of Government spending
is being examined in the enquiry we are presently making.
I need hardly say that Government activities in the arts are along
with every other area, under very close examination at present. 14
I do not want to pre-empt the results of that examination
which is still proceeding by being too specific in my
comments today, but the Government's commitments should not
be in doubt. Let me re-eiphasise the broad purposes of the Government
in this area.
We fully intend to encourage the continued growth and
development of the arts in Australia. In particular, it is
our intention to encourage the development of Australian art
rather than costly purchases overseas. We intend, for example,
to give effect to the National-Gallery's policy of giving
priority to. the purchase of Australian arts.
Alongside this policy, Australia must of course be open to
influence from overseas. Great art inevitably must cross political
frontiers. We have announced our intention to support a more
vigorous sponsorship of exhibitions which will give Australians
ready access to the arts and culture of other countries.
Australians are and ought to be in the vanguard of the aztistic
world. Australia is more than an . efficient economy. Australia
can be part of a vital world culture and the Government intends
to play a part in encouraging this development.
Guy Boyd and the other members of his family have made an enormous
great contribution to the growth of Australian artistic life.
I am delighted that in this book Guy Boyd's sculptural
contribution has been recognised.
I have much pleasure in launching this book.
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