Launching the Unmasking the Wild exhibition.

Posted 9 May 2016 by Isobelle Carmody

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Last Friday, as part of the Geelong after Dark celebrations, I launched the Unmasking the Wild exhibition at the Dome at the wonderful new Heritage and Library complex in Johnston’s Park, pictured below – you have to admit it is a pretty amazing building, and well worth a visit for its own sake.

 

The night began with a mask making event for kids and their parents. There was a great turnout and a constant swirl of people moving through the space, for the event was part of a larger celebration of Geelong After Dark.

Mask making at the Geelong Library.

 

The lovely Deanne Verity introduced the event (and me) with a brief warm speech explaining how I had come to the library seeking a home for the exhibition, for the duration of the auction, and the library had agreed to host it, later generously arranging the purchase of a special glass case that would hold the precious masks, until they were claimed by their new owners at the conclusion of the auction. That makes the exhibition unique- a once only event which ought not to be missed.  You can see all of the masks on this site, but seeing them at the library is better. Of course, they are untouchable- unless you bid and win one of them.

Deanne Verity launches the Launch of Unmasking the Wild.

I spoke then, explaining how the idea for the mask auction had come to me in the wake of writing a scene for The Red Queen which included a Masked Ball, and my decision to hold a real masked ball to celebrate the conclusion of the Obernewtyn Chronicles. I was at the Bologna Book Fair and visiting Venice, which is very close, and I saw a box of white plaster masks for sale. It stuck me that I could buy them and ask my illustrator friends to create masks from them and then auction them off for charity. I bought them and I had given them to my partner when I was farewelling him and my daughter at the train in Bologna – they were headed back to Prague – she was about 12, and I was making horrible faces in response to hers, watched, unbeknownst to me, by Mark Ottley (another of the mask makers) and a group of others all headed out on the same train. I still wince to think of it, though I did not know I had been watched until MUCH later.

Above yo can see me getting  into the dramatic red silk chiffon coat and train I would wear for the event, with the help of Author, Rosemary Borella. I brought the cloak from a designed in Prague especially to wear to the Masked Ball.

Then Bronwyn Hughs of Animals Asia gave us a heart rending glimpse of the awful existence of moon bears, before she lifted us up by showing us some of the wonderful work Animals Asia do in freeing and rehabilitating the bile bears.

 

Finally, Anne James talked about the other charity that will benefit from the mask auction, the Children in Crisis Fund run by IBBY. You can read more about both charities by following the About the Charities link in the Menu bar above. Ann made a lovely speech pointing out that both charities had in common the fact that they were started by inspiring and inspired women. Ann also had some wonderful things to say about the bile bear sanctuary she and Ann Haddon of Books Illustrated went to the China Bear sanctuary in Chengdu, that was the first of a number of sanctuaries now run by the organisation, a few years ago. She took some amazing photos that she has allowed us to use on her page, so stay tuned for that when she is matched to her mask.

(I ought to say that some of the pictures on this page were taken by my brother, illustrator and graphic artist extraordinaire, Ken Carmody (and another mask maker) while others were taken by the dynamic duo from Books Illustrated.)

 

Me hanging out at the launch with mask maker, Keven Burgemeetre, and the dynamic chief executive officer of the GRC, Patti Manolis.

A gang of ardent idealists!

 

Masked women of the Geelong Library, Deanne Verity and Heather Threadgold.

 

So, the Unmasking the Wild exhibition is well and truly launched now, and the auction is underway. We have several of the masks available for bidding- and remember the money you bid does not go to the mask maker or to me or to any administration – all art and talent and time and TLC is donated by me and the mask makers and any other good elves who have chipped in to help pull this together – the whole amount you bid, if you win the mask of your choice,  gets divided equally between our two wonderful charities.

 

isobelle Carmody