Au revoir, dear Mirka, a 'bright light' who changed Melbourne forever

Premier Daniel Andrews, left and William Mora, son of the late Mirka Mora, at her State Memorial at the Palais Theatre. Credit: Jason South

The family of late Melbourne artist Mirka Mora plans to establish a museum to celebrate her life and works.

The announcement was made in front of more than 2000 people at the State Memorial for a woman who Premier Daniel Andrews said ‘‘brought joy to everything she did’’.

The crowd in St Kilda's Palais Theatre laughed and cried in a joyful tribute, with images of her vivid paintings screened on stage.

Outrageous tales were told of a larger-than-life Mirka, who died aged 90 on August 27. Her friend, arts patron Carrillo Gantner, told how she lifted her gown and flashed her body when he visited her in hospital.

Her eldest son, filmmaker Philippe, said on birthdays she would smash her face into the cake and say ‘‘anyone who didn’t eat the cake after that, did not love her’’.

Kendrah Morgan, left, and Lesley Harding, from Heide Museum of Modern Art speak at Mirka Mora's State Memorial service.Credit: Jason South

His brother William, an art dealer, thanked the government for holding a state memorial for their mother, which was an honour given to few women, particularly to women artists.

He announced a new project: ‘‘Our dream is to establish a Mirka museum so that generations to come can see the extraordinary lifestyle Mirka lived. Her legacy will live on and on, and continue to give joy, love, wonderment and laughther, to generations to come.’’

Mr Andrews said in 1951, when Mora and her husband Georges emigrated from Europe, Melbourne was ‘‘reserved and restrained’’. The couple, who ran restaurants, ‘‘helped to turn it into the creative, cultural and cosmopolitan city that it is today’’.

They rejected the darkenss of war and ‘‘devoted their days to living life at its best and its brightest’’, he said.

In a world where fear and resentment was creeping in, "she was a bright light that encouraged us all to be a little more open, a little less afraid, a little more Mirka’’.

Lesley Harding, the director of Heide Museum of Modern Art, which is holding an exhibition on Mirka from next month, said the artist's ‘‘unmistakeable vibrant style’’ was inspired by her life, surrealism, mythology, psychoanalysis, fables, dreams, and dolls.

‘‘Like Mirka herself, her art is an alluring combination of innocence and knowing, joy and sorrow, fantasies and fears, and it offers a glimpse into her innermost self.’’

Philippe said his mother had many contradictions; she was an atheist, yet she was Jewish and loved to paint angels.

She was a feminist, artist and teacher who kept the pure vision of a child. Mr Mora said she was one of just 100 children who survived out of 5000 after the Nazi round-up of Jews in Paris in 1942. ‘‘She said a few times the angels she painted were the kids who did not survive."

Crowd at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda, for late artist Mirka Mora's State Memorial.Credit: Jason South

But Mirka never dwelled on the horror of World War II. ‘‘On the contrary, she celebrated life, and brought us up to appreciate all the good things ... laughter was a defence, a healing thing, so for all the dark aspects of life, my mother had an antidote with positive thinking, creativity, and love — love was the key.’’

William read a note from his seven-year-old daughter, Carlotta, that seemed to explain the public outpouring after her grandmother's death. ‘‘Dear Mirka, we loved you so much and even people we don’t know love you. So I mean, we will never forget you.’’

Mirka's actor son, Tiriel Mora, said she had a profound understanding of innocence, ‘‘of the magic and wonder that is born of childhood’’.

‘‘Mirka was always terribly aware of how precious life is,’’ he said.

‘‘I always thought she was immortal. And I kind of still believe that.’’