MonaRail brings Christmas joy on a tiny scale
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KIRSHA Kaechele’s memories from her homeland of snow-capped buildings and chilly Christmas cheer have inspired Mona’s latest exhibit – whimsical and festive railway town diorama.
The Mona artist and curator was itching for a white Christmas, originally hoping to visit Switzerland this December with husband David Walsh and their family.
“Earlier this year it became clear that wasn’t going to happen,” Ms Kaechele said.
“Instead of a trip to Switzerland, Switzerland is going to come to Mona in miniature form.”
The resultant MonaRail diorama was inspired by the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong where Ms Kaechele and daughter Sunday Walsh discovered a gingerbread Christmas miniature installation.
Open from Saturday until Monday, the sell-out event was the first time Tasmanians and visitors could visit Mona in months, with excitement building around it’s official Boxing Day reopening.
“The team creating this has been absolutely incredible, they’ve slaved over it for two months every day and it’s so involved and so technical,” Ms Kaechele said.
“To walk into the finished space is a thrill.”
The diorama features model trains, Ferris wheels, a town church, icicles made from resin and Christmas trees.
The artwork boasts three model trains courtesy of Steven Van Gellekom from the Goodwood Model Train Club.
Project manager and creative producer Emily Wood helped realise her vision of European winters, snowy alps and town squares with help from diorama sculptor Brian Looker and production associate Trudy Brinkman.
“It has a school that moves into a town and a village into a carnival ski slope – it is a world in its own,” Ms Wood said.
Mona will reopen from December 26, opening Friday to Monday from 10am to 6pm.
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