Harold Mitchell’s article The Age Friday 12 August

Those at the opening of our Collectors’ Exhibition 2016 on Saturday 6th August enjoyed the entertaining speech by raconteur Harold Mitchell AC.

Click here to watch the video of the opening .

Harold Mitchell at opening of LDFA Collectors' Exhibition 2016
Harold Mitchell at opening of LDFA Collectors’ Exhibition 2016 ***

Read his article from the Business Today section of The Age, Friday 12 August – click on the link below for the full text.

“I was delighted to open an arts exhibition in Melbourne last weekend.

I’ve always been comfortable in the art world after being chairman of the National Gallery and growing up around artists themselves.

And as a result I’ve learned a few rules about openings: don’t get too serious, throw in a couple of jokes and try as best you can to dress like Barry Humphries, including a small colourful sarong stuffed into the breast pocket of your jacket.

It was a wonderful Saturday afternoon at the Lauraine Diggins Fine Art exhibition and the pictures for sale weren’t too shabby.  The Europeans included a Guido Reni with P.O.A. on it where the dollar figure usually appears.  A Richard Bonington was available at a cool $US460,000 and the Australian contingent included, Streeton, Glover, Conder and a wonderful piece by the extraordinary Australian Indigenous artist Rover Thomas, which I suspect will fetch up around a million.”

Mitchell_The Age 12082016 Australia is Stuck in a Rut and Needs Brave New Leaders