Pat Corrigan AM with Tommy Watson
Pat Corrigan AM, "Still a dreamer at 83...Still looking for his next adventure." Here with Tommy Watson, whose artworks were Pat's first experience with Aboriginal art (Photo courtesy Agathon).



I had arranged to meet Pat Corrigan - Art Collector and Patron, at the Art Gallery of NSW at 5 o'clock for a glass of wine and a chat. He was already there when I arrived (I was on time, he was early), but the gallery was closing so we went looking elsewhere. 
 
We drove around for a bit until Pat settled on a caf�/bar in Woolloomooloo next to the harbor. Looking from the window where we sat was a simple open paved space with palm trees artfully planted like totems; a very dark open doorway on the building opposite faced diagonally into the area which had an odd absence of people. Long vertical shadows from the trees gave the scene a beautiful strangeness. I half expected to see Janet Laurence and Edward Hopper having a late lunch.
 
My first question to Pat from a prepared list was, "Why Tommy Watson?" ...� Read more


Jeremy Eccles
 
Pat Corrigan is the most extraordinary collector. And his collection is a true reflection of the mighty energy that made him such a successful businessman too. But not many can apply their talents across two such different areas. It was only in 2004 that he was inspired by an National Gally of Victoria exhibition to take on the latest flowering of Aboriginal art from the deserts of central Australia. 
 
By 2008, one book celebrating his enthusiastic buying came out; in 2013 a second - revealing how his courage to go out on a limb with the most uninhibited of APY art by some of the most religious artists had grown exponentially. He seems to have an instinct for paintings reflecting the Seven Sisters Dreaming Kungkarrakalpa. Many of these works by senior artists such as Myra Cook, Yanima Tommy Watson, Kunmanara Stevens, Harry Tjutjuna and Wingu Tingima should be reserved for the planned National Museum exhibition in 2017, bringing this star-map Tjukurpa from its huge spiritual span across the deserts to our soulless cities.
  
In Adelaide at the moment there's a precursor show of the Ngintaka Tjukurpa - the giant Perentie Lizard Dreaming - another important act of sharing by the APY people, which almost came a cropper ...� Read more


Ngintaka Tjukurpa - Perentie Man Story
Ngintaka Tjukurpa - Perentie Man Story, 2012 by the Tjala Arts Collaborative - Paniny Mick, Tingila (Yaritji) Young, Tjungkara Ken, Freda Ken, Marinka Tunkin and Sandra Ken. Featured in the Adelaide exhibition. Courtesy Ananguku Arts.
AAD Online Exhibition, Life on Bark
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