by Janine Burke
I am grateful to have known Mirka and Georges and I dedicate this essay to them.
Mirka Mora (1928-2018) lived an extraordinary life. Born in France and narrowly escaping Auschwitz as a young girl, she moved to Melbourne with her husband Georges and immersed herself in the community and culture of Melbourne, in particular St Kilda. It would become Mirka's favourite place. She lived in St Kilda from 1966-1975, and returned to buy a house in 1981, staying until 1999, when she moved to her own apartment adjoining the home-gallery complex in Richmond built by art-dealer and second son, William Mora and his wife Anna Mortley. The story of her journey, her work, and her life is a rich tale of passion, adventure and boundless creativity.