Opening of Chris Wyatt's exhibition "Women"

Acknowledgement of Country

Welcome to Chris Wyatt’s new exhibition – ‘women’

When I was asked to open this exhibition I had only had the briefest encounters of Chris’ paintings.

I was aware that his work featured the Myall Creek Massacre and Anita Cobby’s murder.

It was only as I was preparing for this evening that was able to examine more closely his paintings and delve deeper into their dark and powerful beauty.

Douglas Purnell describes Chris’ paintings this way

"at first appearance the paintings are dark, and the viewer has to encounter and experience that darkness before the painting reveals its vibrating, shimmering glow"

This is exactly how they have revealed themselves to me.

When I asked Chris what he would like me to say, he said for me to talk about how I felt about the paintings.

The first painting I saw of Chris’s was the one that has remained with me. It is the picture of the aboriginal woman who is about to have her children taken away.

Over the last few days I have thought about the pain, the loss, the anger, the desolate loneliness and fear that would remain if your children were taken from you.

With the contribution this week from Tony Abbott calling for a return to the paternalism for aboriginal communities Chris’s painting has continued to resonate with me as I am sure his paintings will resonate for those who come to see them.

It gives me great pleasure to officially open this exhibition