MATT OTTLEY
On 15 August 2008 Matt Ottley’s book, Requiem for a Beast, was awarded Picture Book of the Year by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. This decision has caused some controversy. Matt Ottley has posted the following statement:

‘Thank you to all of the people who have written to me in support of my award, and of the book. Your emails have been greatly appreciated.

For those of you who have seen or heard critical reports in the tabloid newspapers and commercial television stations, please read the book before making any judgements about it. Some of those reports have been scurrilously misrepresentative, particularly Channel Nine’s story on ‘A Current Affair’. ‘A Current Affair’ was also misleading in its statement that I had declined an interview.

The main complaint about the book relates to the occasional use of strong language. There is, in fact, only a minimal amount of strong language in Requiem for a Beast, and this is intended to reflect the language often used by Australian stockmen. In just over ten thousand words, the particular word that seems to have offended some people occurs only five times. One only has to flick through the young adult books in bookstores to realise that the use of language in Requiem for a Beast is mild by comparison with many other works for older teens and adults.

Another criticism of the work has been that it ‘contains themes of suicide’. The references to suicide in Requiem for a Beast are oblique, and the word ‘suicide’ is used only in relation to the suffering of families affected by the stolen generations.

I have come to realise, from the tone and language of some of the emails I’ve received, that sadly, racism and bigotry are alive and well in this country. We can continue to bury our heads in the sand about these issues, or we can confront them by exposing them for scrutiny. That is often the role of literature such as Requiem for a Beast.

The cover and title of the book alone would suggest that this is not a book for young children. If your local bookstore has placed it in an inappropriate section, then that is a matter to be discussed with them.

The charter of the Children’s Book Council of Australia is to promote, through its work and its awards, literature for children up to the age of eighteen. Requiem for a Beast is a book for young adults and adults, and no one has ever suggested that it is anything other than that. Shame on the individuals in the media who have alleged, by implication, that it is a work for younger readers. This is quite clearly very lazy, sensationalist reporting.

For those who are suggesting that I’m ‘cashing in’ on the plight of the stolen generations, please note that I have not earned any income from this book in the year that it has been in print. All of my royalties have been donated to a just cause. And while I received Australia Council funding for the production of the book, that funding came nowhere near to meeting the costs. I spent much of my own money on production costs of the book and accompanying CD.

In the year leading up to the CBCA awards, Requiem for a Beast attracted a steadily growing audience and much critical acclaim. The responses from senior high school students from Catholic, Anglican and state schools where the book has been studied have been overwhelmingly positive.

The following quote is from Lewis, a year nine student from Victoria:

The book holds three intertwining stories about a young boy and a wild bull, an aboriginal woman of the stolen generation, and a man with recurring memories of a terrible wrong. The words scream out to you from the page, hammering their message of love and home lost. With pictures that flow from the brush and pen of a master, the swirls and colours speak to your soul, showing you the joy of the land and the pain of loss. The book explores the dark side of history taken from a people, despair and pain suffered by thousands. These stories mix to create a fascinating tapestry of light and sound.

The following extract is from the CBCA judges report for the 2008 awards:

Ottley’s picture book is an artistic masterpiece for an older audience. In his own words, this picture book is a ‘work for image, word and music’, and the combination of word and image is powerful. Visually it is stunning… This book is neither a comfortable nor a happy reading experience, but it must be appreciated for its artistic excellence and brilliance of meaning.

Matt Ottley was born in 1962 in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea where he spent the first twelve years of his life. His family then moved to Sydney, where he attended high school and studied painting under the artist Stan Clements. Struck by wanderlust after completing school, Matt worked as a jackeroo on cattle stations in western Queensland before returning to Sydney to study fine arts at the Julian Ashton School of Art. He also began studying the classical guitar and musical composition.

Matt has travelled widely, both within Australia and Europe. He lived for two years in Britain where his paintings were exhibited in some of London's leading galleries. His work has also been shown widely across New South Wales and Queensland. He continued to work from time to time as a stockman on remote cattle stations, then settled in Sydney in 1993 to work as a landscape gardener and creative artist. He now lives in the Tweed Valley (northern NSW) where he continues to write and illustrate books, and to compose music.

Matt has had illustrations published in numerous books, both fiction and nonfiction. His books have continued to grow in popularity, What Faust Saw having become an international bestseller along with its sequel, Faust's Party shortlisted for the 2001 CBC Awards). Sailing Home (with Colin Thompson), a CBC Notable Book in 1997, and Mrs Millie's Painting (1997) were also extremely well received. Luke's Way of Looking (with Nadia Wheatley), released in 1999, was an Honour book in the 2000 CBC Picture Book of the Year Awards.

Matt is now established as a formidable force in the world of children's literature. His recent picture books include Hyram and B (text by Brian Caswell), and two collaborations with author Josie Montano, The Bubble and The Penguin. Matt's latest book, Requiem for a Beast, is an ambitious project that combines all his talents as a writer, painter and composer. He describes this as a 'multi-modal work', using the formats of graphic novel, picture book, novella and musical score. This ground breaking book has been shortlisted in the CBCA 2008 Picture Book of the Year Awards. A new picture book with text by John Marsden, Home and Away, is due for release later this year and Matt is currently working on a book with Gary Crew, The Serpent’s Tale.

Matt has a range of talks and workshops to suit students across the K - 12 spectrum. Because of his diverse background, he particularly welcomes the chance to work with pre-adolescent and adolescent boys, addressing issues of self-esttem, male stereotyping and masculinity and encouraging their creativity. If a residency is under consideration, involve teachers in the art and music departments to maximise the benefits of Matt's visit.

More information, including extensive teacher’s notes, can be found at Matt's website.

Feedback from Matt's school visits:

"Matt was great. They loved being able to create a story together which Matt drew and the class got to keep! Matt is so talented and fantastic with the students. He cleverly wove music, art, writing and imagination to capture and engage the students throughout the session. It was great to have all the children draw under his guidance and see the satisfaction of achievement in every one of them"
"I must say that the time we spent with Matt Ottley was just amazing. Such a talented man! The kids are still talking and that is saying something ... Excellent presentations ... His techniques and ideas reinforced a lot of the curriculum (added bonus!) ... It was a screaming success."
"Students were all engrossed in what Matt was doing and saying. Some are now trying to follow his methods of drawing and painting. Well worth waiting for!"

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