Mirror: Jeannie Baker

Mirror featured striking collages by renowned children's book author and artist Jeannie Baker.

Jeannie’s vibrant works present a visual story that both contrasts and reveals the parallels in the everyday life of a boy in the 'hurly-burly' city of Sydney and a boy in a remote Berber village in Morocco. The collages took us on a journey that revealed more similarities than differences between the two cultures.

Kid-friendly viewing platforms and a reading corner allowed children to absorb themselves in the richness of Jeannie Baker’s stories. It’s an exhibition of works that people of all ages enjoyed.

Artist's statement:

The idea for this work came from my delight in travelling in a country very different from my own. At the time in my own country there was much political poisoning of attitudes towards foreigners and foreignness. But travelling alone in remote Morocco, a woman 'stranger' myself, I was met with much friendliness and generosity from 'strangers'. The idea for the work was right there: that outward appearances may be very different but the inner person of a 'stranger' may not be a stranger at all. We all live to be loved by family and friends and to be part of a larger family, a community. Inwardly we are so alike that it could be each other we see when we look in a mirror.

The settings I chose for the families in the story are the Valley of Roses (famous for its rose perfume) in southern Morocco and my home in Sydney, Australia. The images started as drawings. Using these drawings as a guide, I then made collages. These were constructed layer by layer on a wooden baseboard using a combination of natural and artificial materials such as sand, earth, clay, paints, vegetation, paper, fabric, wool, tin and plastic. The natural materials were preserved and fresh colouring added.

School holiday fun Cut and Paste workshops were also held for children

Supported by Council for Australian-Arab relations

Mirror: Jeannie Baker is an Associated Event of Art & About Sydney 2010, presented by City of Sydney

Supporter of children’s art and craft activities: Crayola

A travelling exhibition of A travelling exhibition Mirror was supported by the Australian Government through the Council for Australian - Arab Relations (CAAR).

We all live to be loved by family and friends and to be part of a larger family, a community. Inwardly we are so alike that it could be each other we see when we look in a mirror.

Jeanie Baker