Saturday 23 March 2013

MONA

One of the highlights of my visit to Hobart last year was an evening at MONA, the rather extraordinary Museum of Old and New Art established a short drive outside of Hobart. MONA opened in 2011 and is a privately funded art gallery, the $175 million vision of David Walsh.



MONA is an amazing place to visit. They make it as easy as possible for visitors to get there, even though the gallery is out of town. There is an office down on the waterfront, where you can hop on a boat, or a bike.


It's a fancy ferry too

Once you're there you get an amazing device called the O to explain the artworks you see (they don't like explanatory stuff on the walls), and also record your tour (you can enter you email address, and MONA emails you a copy of the works that you see- how cool is that?)

It creates a map of where you went!

You can review works you saw, and those you missed


We got to attend a special evening there as part of the conference I attended- it was a fully catered (and how) extravaganza. 

Too much alcohol that night to photograph
and literal mountains of cheese

We then got to tour the galleries, after having a not inconsequential number of drinks. I can only recommend that this is how all art galleries should be viewed. It increases your interest, and your appreciation of the art on view.

This was especially transfixing
A waterfall in words!
Words change daily depending on the news
Bit.Fall 2006-7 Julius Popp

The largest art work is possibly one of the largest works I've ever seen. Sidney Nolan's Snake.

It's very cool

It changes as you move closer

to see the 1620 individual paintings!

And now it's being taken down! MONA is always changing it seems. 

My bad photo doesn't convey how disturbing I found this
The Mice and Me 2008 Meghan Boody

P XIII 2008 Berlinde de Bruyckere

Skull 2001 Jan Fabre

My favourite- a video installation
30 Italians singing Madonna's Immaculate Collection
It's hysterical
Housed in a special room, complete with bean bags
Look for the nondescript white door
Queen (A Portrait of Madonna) 2005 Candice Breitz

Saturday Snapshot, is a wonderful weekly meme from at home with books

17 comments:

Brona said...

I've heard amazing things about this museum. Lucky you to have a fully catered conference there!

Ali said...

That looks like an amazing museum. I'm glad you got the opportunity to go there. (And, yeah--The Mice and Me looks incredibly disturbing).

My snapshot

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

OMG! You are so right...this is totally the way to experience art. And they do make it very "user friendly."

Thanks for sharing...and here's MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST

Melissa O. said...

Those are amazing pictures -- looks like an incredible museum. I would find the body disturbing, too!

Here's my SATURDAY SNAPSHOT post.

Joy said...

Wow! That sounds like a fantastic experience of art. Thanks for sharing it!

Joy's Book Blog

Unknown said...

I love ferries, but some of that artwork is creepy. Have a great day!

Anonymous said...

The Snake exhibit sure looks fantastic... the other ones are a bit disturbing as you said. What an interesting museum!

Unknown said...

I would love to visit this museum, or a similar one that's on my side of the world. :) Such thought-provoking pieces.

Irene said...

WOW, what a wonderful conference. Thanks for sharing your amazing adventure.

Lisa said...

I have no idea where Hobart is, but I definitely want to check this place out! Great pictures!

My Saturday Snapshot

Peppermint Ph.D. said...

These are very cool...but kinda disturbing at the same time...eeek!

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Now that's a museum!

Swan Pond said...

Louise, I can tell you were impressed by MONA from the post, but did you like it?

Christine Harding said...

I must admit, it all looks a bit modern for me, but the exhibits would make you think. No Snapshot from me this week, because I only got back from Mum's yesterday, but I like to see what everyone is doing!

Louise said...

Megan, I loved it! It's a fantastic place to visit.

Christine- I hadn't realised that I'd made it look so modern, there is old art too, I guess I just didn't photograph it. There really is something for everyone.

Carol said...

Looks like an amazing museum. I love that waterfall.

Swan Pond said...

Yeah really? I was less enthusiastic 'bout the gallery. Liked the loos, the cafe, the grass, just not much into the art there. We can disagree on this one :-)