University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Death Mask

composition
posted on 2023-05-25, 08:57 authored by Brigita OzolinsBrigita Ozolins
Death Mask was commissioned by Naryyna Heritage Museum and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery for the Dark MOFO 2017 visual arts program. The work explores lesser-known aspects of Tasmania's history through its focus on death mask collections held at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and in private collections. The installation challenges perceptions about the historic and contemporary relevance of the links between the between the pseudo science of phrenology and the practice of casting the heads of executed criminals to assess their character traits via the shape and size of their skulls. It featured coffin-like light box images of real death masks, a lecture-like audio track, dim lighting, a medical model of an exposed brain and historic items about phrenology to create a pseudo-serious environment that encourages reflection on how readily judgements about individuals can be based on appearance. Death Mask contributes to a field of contemporary art practice that uses site-specific installation to reveal alternative narratives about historic collections, houses and museums.

History

Medium

Installation

Department/School

School of Creative Arts and Media

Publisher

Dark MOFO

Extent

10am - 8pm daily during MOFO

Event Venue

Narryna Heritage Museum, Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania

Date of Event (Start Date)

2017-06-09

Date of Event (End Date)

2017-06-21

Rights statement

Copyright 2017 the creators

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

The creative arts

Usage metrics

    Non-traditional research outputs

    Categories

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC