Maine Iceman & More: Today, Into The Future
Posted by: Loren Coleman on May 7th, 2010
Yes, the mystery photograph was the pre-dyed goat skin of the Pangboche Yeti skullcap replica. Since we couldn’t get a serow (a “goat-antelope”) skin, a tanned, treated goat skin was the most appropriate choice for this faux taxidermy artifact.
During the day of May 7th, the International Cryptozoology Museum will be closed as we are setting up tonight’s ONE TIME exhibition of fakes, freaks, and crypto-replicas. But this is only temporary, as we will be “open” tonight, and back at the museum on Saturday and Sunday, to show off our almost entirely new museum rearrangements and brand new exhibits.
The show at the Port City Music Hall will be our unveiling of the “Mystery Iceman of Maine,” as well as our replicas of Yeti relics seen below, and a few other surprises.
Also, books and logo teeshirts will be available.
The International Cryptozoology Museum, in its continuing effort to reach creative, intelligent, diverse populations via its educational and scientific mission, and to be a good community partner, agreed to create a “cryptofakes” display as a “carnival sideshow” for the charity benefit of a local low-income resource center. This exhibition will appear, first, during this upcoming event on May 7th, 2010.
The ICM has learned, early on, that much can be shared through the fun and critical thinking exercise of displaying “carnival gaffs,” for a few such taxidermy items try to overlap with the cryptozoological theme of our museum. I have utilized them in the past to let people know these objects are often shown as “almost real” specimens.
Jeff Meuse, Chief Docent Coordinator, with his created donations, in honor of the Pangboche hand and Yeti skullcap.
Most honest sideshow owners displaying such gaffs often merely only ask “What is It?” or “Is it Real?” But slowly the drift has been for people to present these items as cryptozoological, from “unknown animals.” For cryptozoologists, we need to be aware of this trend, and go beyond it. But we cannot overcome such trends by ignoring gaffs. Partially embracing them and using them as learning tools is important. The trick with gaffs, however, is to not let them rule you. 🙂
During this forthcoming 2010 event, besides exhibiting the FeeJee Mermaid and various carnival gaffs (e.g. the strange “Skull of Bigfoot,” the horrible “Hair of a Yukon Sasquatch,” the world’s first replica of the “Montauk Monster,” the popular “Jackalope,”
the unbelievable “Fur-Bearing Trout,” the ancient “Jenny Hanvier,” and the wondrous “Wolpertinger”), we will be introducing to the world a new “cryptogaff.”
Our new exhibition has been named, for now, the “Maine Iceman.” But who knows what it will be called tomorrow? In this business, you have to be flexible.
This newly constructed five-foot-tall version of the “Minnesota Iceman” (an unknown hairy hominid) will be shown for the first time ever on Friday, May 7th, 2010, from 8 PM to 1 AM, at the Port City Music Hall, Portland, Maine, during the “Sanctuary Tattooʼs 10th Anniversary Blowout Bash.”
The ICM was invited to the event by the enchanted maiden, Carrie-anne Vinette, on behalf of the Sanctuary Tattoo folks. We thank her for thinking of us.
The Maine Iceman then will move into the permanent collection of the International Cryptozoology Museum.
The construction of this sideshow art will be due, in large part, to the creative volunteer work of local artists Sarah McCann and Erin Ellis, with the cooperative efforts of docent coordinator Jeff Meuse. The overall consultation of yours truly, Loren Coleman, who examined the 1969 version of the Minnesota Iceman for Ivan T. Sanderson and Bernarnd Heuvelmans, will be involved in this creation and adventure, too. Futhermore, a new sideshow banner is being brought from imagination to reality for this exhibition (more details on that, soon).
What is the “Sanctuary Tattooʼs 10th Anniversary Blowout Bash to Benefit Preble Street Resource Center”?
Here is the general press release, with a few edits and links embedded, regarding this upcoming event:
After 10 amazing years in Portland, Sanctuary Tattoo can not say thank you enough to all of our clients, friends, exhibiting artists & fine art collectors.
To express our gratitude to Greater Portland for giving such an amazing and wonderful home, Sanctuary Tattoo is throwing an large local event and exhibition. While there will be no entrance fee or cover charge, we do ask that you please, make a voluntary donation (great or small) at the door to benefit the Preble Street Resource Center.
• Preble Street is a low-barrier agency: meaning anyone can ask for and receive services.The people PRC serves are homeless and living in severe poverty. Many also experience chronic health problems, domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse, and educational deficits. The Resource Center meets urgent needs–such as showers, clothing, phones, laundry, and mail and crisis intervention–and empowers people to find the housing, education, employment, health care, legal assistance, mental health support that can improve their lives. •
We have SIX amazing bands:
-MANWICH (possibly their last gig ever…)
-MURCIELAGO
-WHITCOMB
-PEEPSHOW (an extremely rare reunion…)
-THE HOT TARTS
-OKBARI
AND between bands we’ll have Burlesque Dancers & Some Additional Side Show Action for your viewing pleasure:
-ATOMIC TRASH
-DIRTY DISHES
-LORD BYRON & PV-SCENE
-NYAʼS TRANCE & VIVID MOTION
-THE AMAZING ARIEL- SWORDSWALLOWER
We are also teaming up with some of our favorite local yokels to bring you an array of special surprises, entertainment, and delight!
-AMIGOS (food)
-NORTHSTAR CAFE (food)
-COAST CITY COMICS
-FERDINAND HOME STORE
-THE FUN BOX MONSTER EMPORIUM
-THE GREEN HAND BOOKSTORE
-INTERNATIONAL M– USEUM OF CRYPTOZOOLOGY
-KITTYWITCH CREATIONS & THE FLOWER GIRLS
-TENDERFOOT CREATIONS
and last, but never least the lovely gals of the MAINE ROLLER DERBY!!
Please Join Us & Celebrate our Old Age! (that’s 70 in Tattoo Years)
Sanctuary Tattooʼs 10th Anniversary Blowout Bash to Benefit Preble Street Resource Center At Port City Music Hall: 504 Congress Street, Portland, Maine.
Friday, May 7th, 2010, 8PM — 1AM
Sanctuary Tattoo & Art Gallery is a custom fine art studio providing tattoo artistry with integrity. We exhibit monthly & bimonthly Art Shows featuring many up and coming Local Fine Artists working in all mediums.
+end of release+
Don’t put up with a cheap John Chambers copycat.
Come see the first viewing of the “Maine Iceman” on May 7th.
There will be lots to see at this event. Fire dancing, fire breathing, blood wrestling, sword swallowing, and much more.
Photos above by Chris Dingwell, Sanctuary Tattoos, Portland, ME.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
