Wax reproduction of an original sculpture by L. Corriveau displayed in Strange, Strange World, 1978-1981

My first experience of discovering the photos of this famous alien on the cover of a UFO book left me stunned. My initial response of total dismay was replaced by one of deep consternation at the misrepresentation of the facts concerning this figure. However, I was reluctant to get involved and correct the ridiculous information associated with the alien, due primarily to my fear of being harrassed or intimidated.

I know exactly what the photos represent because I conceived of it and created it in 1978, when I was in charge of the Strange, Strange World Pavilion at Man and His World in Montreal, a position I occupied between 1976 and 1981. I nicknamed this sculpture The Man of My Dreams because I produced it with such clarity of vision. It represented a synthesis of the most common descriptions provided by individuals having experienced close encounters or claiming to actually having been abducted.

Wax reproduction of an original sculpture by L. Corriveau displayed in Strange, Strange World, 1978-1981

I wanted The Man of My Dreams to be esthetically pleasing so as not to repulse. I wanted him to look real so as to be convincing. I wanted him to shock people and confront them with a greater reality. I sculpted him out of clay, after hours, in my private studio, and had a wax reproduction of him made at the Tussaud wax museum along with the hands which they actually volunteered in their enthusiasm. The alien got his spacesuit and his body from the "prop department" of the City, a mannequin of a child and a wet suit which we promptly painted gold. The alien itself was on display from 1978 to 1981 and was seen by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, and Stanton Friedman, among others. Nearly two million visitors streamed through Strange, Strange World and enjoyed its 10,000 square feet of unusual displays.

The exhibit was divided into various sections each with their own mood and color theme: The Universe Unfolding and The Next 50 Years in Space had blue lighting, UFOs was green, Archaeological Enigmas, amber, Phenomena and Mysteries of Mind and Matter, pink. The ambient music ranged from Jean-Michel Jarre to Paul Horn to Vangelis. The atmosphere was magical and awe-inspiring. Strange, Strange World was the direct result of new directions forged in design as a result of Expo '67. It was a visionary endeavor, for which I can only take partial credit, the founding director and designer being Michel Lambert, that synthesized a quest for knowledge and a multi sensory--auditory, tactile and visual--approach to learning. It showed an open mind and boundless inquisitiveness. No one could be indifferent to such a dazzling experience from beginning to end.

Wax reproduction of an original sculpture by L. Corriveau displayed in Strange, Strange World, 1978-1981

But since The Man of My Dreams has taken to being so often misrepresented as portraying an actual specimen, instead of an artistic creation, I would like to set the record straight once and for all in an attempt to place it in its context with the help of photos taken by a friend of twenty years, E.J. Gold, documentation currently in my possession, personal recollection, and corroborating witnesses.

The photos appearing in this entire dossier on the web are only allowed to be used with the correct captions appearing in these pages. Anyone wishing to share recollections and photos for inclusion in the full scale online exhibit is welcome to e-mail the webmaster.

I have written an indepth account of this entire story that begins with a 6 page Introduction that contains 5 photographs, followed by the complete tour of the exhibit in about 20 pages with currently over 40 photographs. I hope you enjoy your visit.

-- Linda Corriveau

artist/author/ former director, Strange, Strange World

We would like to thank Gorebag (a.k.a. E.J. Gold) for his invaluable assistance in bringing this story to light.