An exhibition of rare and spectacular masks from China is now on show for the first and only time in Australia at the Immigration Museum.

The exhibition Masks of China: Ritual and Legend showcases around 100 stunning handmade masks. Drawn from the collections of the China Museum of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing, Masks of China, highlights the living tradition of mask-making among the diverse cultural groups in China today.

“This is a unique collection of beautiful and rare objects never before seen in Australia,” comments Padmini Sebastian, Manager, Immigration Museum. “A small number of the objects in Masks of China are from the past two centuries, but the majority have been collected in more recent times and reflect the continuing significance of a practice which is thousands of years old.”

In China, masks are thought to have originated from ancient religious ceremonies. Images of people wearing masks have been found in ancient rock paintings along the Yangtze River, and it is believed by experts that mask-making developed from rituals associated with hunting and the worship of heads and skulls.

“Masks are a way for humans to transform themselves into non-human forms, such as animals, spirits and gods,” Sebastian continues. “Masks of China brings together beliefs, myths and symbols from Shamanism and Buddhism, and these depictions are designed both to entertain the living and amuse the deities.”

“Each mask in the exhibition has been elaborately made by hand from a wide range of materials, including paper, metal, wood, cotton, bamboo and felt. Visitors will experience a range of colours, materials and facial expressions in this fascinating exhibition, which brings adults and children face to face with these beautiful masks.”

Masks of China is arranged along five key themes reflecting the typical uses of masks: Ceremonial Dance, Opera, Weddings and Funerals, Protecting the Home, and Festivals and Ritual.

Some of the masks on display include:
• “Shigong” dance masks used in shamanic rituals to thank the gods
• “Nuo” dance masks used to drive away bad spirits and ask for blessings (the name “Nuo” comes from the word shouted during the ritual)
• Wedding masks used to pray for good luck and a lasting marriage
• “Swallowing Animal” masks associated with protecting the home and symbolising the “swallowing” of disaster
• “Ground Opera” masks used in a basic form of opera performed without a stage or backdrop

The Museum will offer a specially-developed children’s trail through the Masks of China exhibition, as well as associated programs for education and summer school holiday visitors.

Masks of China: Ritual and Legend is now on show at the Immigration Museum until 24 March 2008. Admission (includes Museum entry): $12 adult; $6 conc; $3 MV members; children FREE.

Masks of China has been developed by the China Museum of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities, Beijing, and is supported by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of the People’s Republic of China, the Australian Multicultural Foundation, the Scanlon Foundation and Rendezvous Hotel.

Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St, Melbourne Enquiries: 13 11 02 or museumvictoria.com.au