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MONA, Hobart, Tas
photo by Kel ©2011
photo by Kel ©2011
As you may have gathered from previous posts, I love art which is more than something pretty hanging on a wall. Pretty art is okay if all you want is decoration to match the sofa. But visceral art 'gets you in the guts' and often involves more of your senses than just sight...say, touch, taste, sound, smell, kinesthetics, interactivity. All of which appeals to me. I might not actually 'like' the work, but I appreciate that it challenges me, makes me think, creates or provokes a response of some kind. So a recent birthday trip to Hobart specifically to visit the MONA [Museum of Old and New Art] was like heaven on a stick.
A half-hour ferry trip from Hobart docks (where the famous Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race ends), this intriguing structure rises up from the river's edge. MONA is a world-class experience for lovers of fine architecture, antiquities, and contemporary art. At the moment, anyone can experience this art extravaganza for free, thanks to the generosity of David Walsh, owner of the private $100-million art collection and $75-million complex. That's right, there's no entry fee (the ferry is $15 return but there's road access for those wanting to drive). update Oct 2011, there's now a $20 entry fee - but so worth it
This place might be single-handedly boosting Tassie tourism year-round. We were there mid-winter and the Mona ferry was full. The gallery spaces were busy, but not overly so. Unlike the Louvre or the Getty, we were able to enjoy a lot of it without feeling like an ipod (...shuffle).
Speaking of ipods, the tech heads are kept happy with the navigational device provided on entry. Called the "O" it tracks where you are in the building and allows you to read the 'arty farty' take on a piece (called the artwank), a tongue in cheek interpretation (called the Gonzo) and audio files. You can recall your live visit anytime by logging onto your own "O tour" showing what you looked at, what you 'liked' and what you 'hated'. We also found it handy to see what we didn't see in person. Seriously, there is so much stuff there, and such a random curation, a labyrinthine journey of discovery....which I loved. No maps, wall signs, didactic boards or instructions. Just enter a parallel universe and see what you discover along the way.
Having visited art museums in Paris, London, Los Angeles, and Chicago I can honestly say this one tops the list. It was a totally immersive experience. Considering a large part of it is underground, the word immersive suits on that level too. Walking up from water level to the entry foyer, then descending down a shaft of sandstone in a glass lift, it was like entering into the Batcave!
To start off we tried to take photos, but quickly decided to put the camera away and succumb to the experience.If you're curious, there's photos on some of the links, but you really need to experience it for yourself. Describing a visit to Mona, to someone who hasn't been there, is kinda like trying to describe sex to a virgin. Which is an apt analogy really, considering the overarching theme of the current exhibition is 'sex and death'.
Highlights were many, but there's an underground tunnel; an art library you could spend all day in, if there wasn't so much else to see; interactive art, egyptian mummies, paintings, sculpture, video art; a cafe, restaurant, bar, and if you decide you need more time, there's accomodation on the other side of the property.
Anselm Kiefer's Sternenfall / Shevirath ha Kelim, [falling stars / the breaking of the vessels] is the largest artist book I've ever seen. Housed in its own pavilion at the far end of MONA, massive 'books' made from lead are "interspersed by jagged glass and seemingly rained down upon by countless shards, many bearing the astronomical number of a heavenly body (the numbers given to stars by NASA scientists)". Apart from the sheer granduer of a sculpture with its own pavilion, we were lucky enough to walk in when a small choir (participating in Festival of Voices in Hobart that weekend) decided to try out the acoustics. We stood spellbound as they broke into spontaneous song in the space ... probably a lot closer to the true meaning of a flashmob ... and create a memory making moment of a lifetime.
While waiting for our return ferry at the end of a full 5-hours, Mr Walsh himself came into the cafe. I wanted to rush up and give him a big hug and say 'thankyou for sharing all this with us.' But I suddenly got all shy and became glued to my seat. So David, if you read this, may I just say . . . "onya' mate!" What a legacy for making art accessible.
We made the trip to Hobart specifically to visit MONA. It was absolutely worth it. We definitely found treasure at the end of the rainbow!
my contribution to Skywatch and That's My World
