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Maskmagical..."We Are Here" Maps & Masks
2009.11.22
To the steady beat of the drums, children from Port Chalmers Primary School, Dunedin NZ on parade with their masks...on the road to building a 'map' of their community at the local park
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To the steady beat of the drums, children from Port Chalmers Primary School, Dunedin NZ on parade with their masks...on the road to building a 'map' of their community at the local park
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From new entrants to year 8, students of all ages participated in this community mapping project, buddying up together to make it easier and safer for the little ones
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From new entrants to year 8, students of all ages participated in this community mapping project, buddying up together to make it easier and safer for the little ones
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Hawk Mask made with no feathers at all, and proudly worn by its maker! Wonderfully effective use of natural materials!
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Hawk Mask made with no feathers at all, and proudly worn by its maker! Wonderfully effective use of natural materials!
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Creature Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Creature Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Bird Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Bird Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Dolphin Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Dolphin Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Creature Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Creature Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Sharky Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Sharky Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Whiskery, Nibbly Creature Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Whiskery, Nibbly Creature Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Creature Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Creature Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Seal Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Seal Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Colourful Cow Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Colourful Cow Mask made for We Are Here mapping project at Port Chalmers School, Dunedin
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Fox Man mask made to 'scare' the children of Port Chalmers School! Fox Man's other identity is "teacher help", the person in part responsible for the wonderful dimensional work that transformed the Multimask starter bases into convincing animal, bird, and marine life shapes. Interestingly, the idea for "fox man" began as a bird mask, but eventually took on the shape of a fox. We like it when original ideas change their shape and become something else. Coolio!!
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Fox Man mask made to 'scare' the children of Port Chalmers School! Fox Man's other identity is "teacher help", the person in part responsible for the wonderful dimensional work that transformed the Multimask starter bases into convincing animal, bird, and marine life shapes. Interestingly, the idea for "fox man" began as a bird mask, but eventually took on the shape of a fox. We like it when original ideas change their shape and become something else. Coolio!!
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Little Hedgehog Girl with her mask, box costume and hedgehog placard
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Little Hedgehog Girl with her mask, box costume and hedgehog placard
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Red Rooster Mask wearer (aka one of the Drummers) on his way to Watson Park
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Red Rooster Mask wearer (aka one of the Drummers) on his way to Watson Park
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Port Chalmers School children on their way to the local park to lay out their 'map'
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Port Chalmers School children on their way to the local park to lay out their 'map'
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The parade has come to an end when the children of Port Chalmers School reach Watson Park...but their creative work is only just beginning...
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The parade has come to an end when the children of Port Chalmers School reach Watson Park...but their creative work is only just beginning...
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Some masks start to come off as students prepare to build their 'map' in the park...
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Some masks start to come off as students prepare to build their 'map' in the park...
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Abandoned Calf Mask?
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Abandoned Calf Mask?
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Placards and what looks like an albatross mask rest for a moment on the grass
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Placards and what looks like an albatross mask rest for a moment on the grass
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Parents get into the spirit of things...
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Parents get into the spirit of things...
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Time for a little mask chat....
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Time for a little mask chat....
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Children start building their cardboard community by planting their placards in the ground. Some hang their masks with their placards, the wind ruffles and animates the scene...
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Children start building their cardboard community by planting their placards in the ground. Some hang their masks with their placards, the wind ruffles and animates the scene...
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A boat placard is placed in position...
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A boat placard is placed in position...
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A bird placard is placed in position
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A bird placard is placed in position
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Children start to build their "routes" between houses and other local landmarks using a large roll of white sheeting ripped into ribbons...
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Children start to build their "routes" between houses and other local landmarks using a large roll of white sheeting ripped into ribbons...
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The children's houses are placed in position...i am sitting right here on the ground in the middle of the 'map' as it unfolds and a magical feeling steals over me...
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The children's houses are placed in position...i am sitting right here on the ground in the middle of the 'map' as it unfolds and a magical feeling steals over me...
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The cardboard community takes shape with all its magical interconnections...all made by the children themselves!!
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The cardboard community takes shape with all its magical interconnections...all made by the children themselves!!
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Artist in Residence Juliet Novena Sorrel is the visionary who holds the ball of white ribbon that connects all the pieces together...
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Artist in Residence Juliet Novena Sorrel is the visionary who holds the ball of white ribbon that connects all the pieces together...
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Picnic rugs come out and the kite flying begins...masks now lie abandoned, their transformative action work done for the day
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Picnic rugs come out and the kite flying begins...masks now lie abandoned, their transformative action work done for the day
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The project WE ARE HERE started with the children of Port Chalmers School, Dunedin working in groups to map the Port Chalmers area in which they live with some "differing perspectives". This map & mask project was part of the school's annual artist-in-residence programme lead by local visual artist Juliet Novena Sorrel who helped the children create a map of their community and masks of animals and creatures which live there. Ms Novena Sorrel believes creating maps allows children to identify with their communities in a stronger way. "It makes them really feel like they belong somewhere". Their map came alive on Sunday when the children paraded along the main street on their way to Watson Park where the mobile 'map' was laid out. It was wonderful to see their work in the classroom spill out into the community. After the mapping session, picnic rugs were rolled out and kites flown on the stiff breeze which blew in from the ocean.
Please note because of the scale of the overall mapping project the children only had a short time to make their masks. We think they did a great job envisaging their characterisations. It isn't easy to translate ideas from the flat into three-dimensions so quickly! The whole event was created from pre-mixed poster paints, corrugated card for the placards, and empty cereal box card was used to extend the Multimask starter bases, plus two torn-up bed sheets...exciting results from such humble materials!!
For more info on the Multimask starter base used for this project visit www.maskworx.co.nz
