Illuminating our fears and imaginations
Elora artist Tim Murton proves that there is beauty in the macabre with the return of the Twilight Zoo, a seasonal installation at the Elora Centre for the Arts.
Constructed from wire, paper, glue, and gauze, Murton’s gigantic lantern creatures haunt the historical schoolhouse building, providing an atmosphere of both wonder and terror.
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“The kids just love it. It’s like the old Victorian bedtime stories—they are gruesome and horrible—kids just go crazy for all that stuff,” said Murton, who started creating ghouls and monsters as Halloween decorations for his own children in 1996.
As the collection has grown over the years, Murton’s creations have been displayed throughout the town and have transformed into quite the spectacle at the local art centre this year.
“‘Halloween is the most creative holiday of the year. At Halloween people dress up and make stuff and they have fun,’ Murton continued, ‘At Christmas, they buy stuff and cry.'”
“This is something for the community,” explained Murton. “The art centre has been suffering financially, so we wanted to bring a project that would bring everyone together and get some energy back.”
Giant illuminated skeletons, witches, and demons are accompanied by a thunderous soundtrack and visual effects throughout the indoor exhibit, climaxing with a dark, narrow tunnel that leads to even larger creatures surrounding the building.
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“The whole idea is to light up your fears and have a giggle—to have a sense of humour about all the things that you’re scared about,” said Murton, explaining that the Twilight Zoo stimulates “exploration of the imagination” for both kids and adults alike.
“Halloween is the most creative holiday of the year. At Halloween people dress up and make stuff and they have fun,” Murton continued, “At Christmas, they buy stuff and cry.”
What started as a creative outlet for Murton has transformed into a highly anticipated community event and tourist attraction each year, bringing people together in the spirit of the season.