Museums of the World ⑫ Australia’s ‘MONA (Museum of Old and New Art)’, carved out of bedrock
As you travel north by ferry from Hobart, the capital of Tasmania—an island at the southern tip of Australia—a building with a curious symmetry appears on a riverside hill. Yet what you see is merely the tip of a massive iceberg. MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) conceals its main structure not above ground, but 17 metres underground, carved vertically out of sandstone layers dating back thousands of years.
This is the most subversive and captivating artistic stronghold, which has sent shockwaves through the global art world by placing the taboo themes of ‘sex and death’ centre stage.
From gambler to artistic maverick
David Walsh, the founder of MONA, is one of the most unique and enigmatic figures in the contemporary art world.
Raised in a poor family in Tasmania, Walsh channelled his prodigious mathematical talent into casinos and horse racing. He developed an algorithm-based gambling system and amassed an astronomical fortune by taking on casinos around the world. Describing himself as a ‘lucky gambler’, he used this capital to build an unconventional collection, free from the constraints of public opinion.
Walsh resented the self-righteous hypocrisy and tedious curation of traditional art galleries. He wanted to create “a space that awakens human instincts and raw emotions, rather than stuffed knowledge”. MONA, which opened in 2011 with an investment of approximately $75 million of his own money, is both his personal playground and a cynical jab at the mainstream art world.
Walsh’s approach to running the museum is equally unconventional. Instead of the usual labels found next to artworks, he provides dedicated terminals called ‘O’, allowing visitors to vote ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ on a piece, or to read his own highly personal and cynical comments.
A modern catacomb carved out of bedrock
Fender Katsalidis, the architectural firm responsible for MONA’s design, is a leading Australian architectural practice based in Melbourne.
They enjoy a global reputation for designing supertall buildings and mixed-use cultural spaces. They played a pivotal role in transforming Australia’s skyline by designing Melbourne’s landmarks, the ‘Eureka Tower’ and ‘Australia 108’. Whilst the Eureka Tower showcased urban splendour through its golden glass and geometric forms, MONA, by contrast, presents a humble yet intense sense of space that seems to ‘sink into the earth’.
The most striking visual element inside is the exposed sandstone cliff face. The texture and patterns of the vertical cut, carved down to a depth of 17 metres below ground, constitute a vast work of land art in their own right. This dark, windowless underground space evokes ancient catacombs (underground cemeteries) and overwhelms visitors.
The layout, with no set viewing route, allows visitors to lose their way of their own accord. Spiral staircases, rusted steel structures and vast exhibition halls that suddenly appear out of the darkness transform the act of appreciating art into a kind of ‘excavation’.
A blunt inquiry into human nature
Wim Delvoye – Cloaca Professional This is a signature work by the Belgian conceptual artist Wim Delvoye. It is a large-scale machine that meticulously replicates the human digestive system; when real food is fed into it, it breaks it down using acids and enzymes to produce excrement at set times each day. Mocking biotechnology, mechanical civilisation and the sanctity of art, this piece is MONA’s most unsettling yet captivating work.
Greg Taylor – 150 female vulva sculptures
. With the bluntly titled ‘Cunts… and other white lies’, this work displays plaster casts of body parts from different women, covering an entire wall. It affirms bodily diversity whilst directly challenging social taboos.
Dark Mofo: A festival of darkness illuminating Tasmania’s long winter
The ‘Dark Mofo’ festival, held every June during winter (in the Southern Hemisphere), has played a major role in MONA’s rise to global prominence beyond Australia. Organised by MONA, this festival offers a modern reinterpretation of ancient pagan customs celebrating the ‘darkness of winter’. Held across Hobart for approximately two weeks, it features a series of bizarre and provocative performances, striking light installations and musical performances.
On the morning of the winter solstice, the ‘Nude Solstice Swim’, in which thousands of people plunge naked into the cold Tasmanian sea, is the festival’s highlight and a ritual symbolising rebirth. This festival has completely revitalised Tasmania’s flagging winter tourist season and draws hipsters and collectors from around the world to Hobart to enjoy the ‘art of darkness’.
[Travel Info]
- Location: 655 Main Rd, Berriedale TAS 7011, Australia
- Architecture: Fender Katsalidis
- Features: The world’s largest private art museum, founded with the personal fortune of gambler David Walsh. Built into the bedrock.
- Tip: We recommend taking the MONA-exclusive ferry (MR-1) from Hobart Harbour. Book a seat in the ferry’s ‘Posh Pit’ section to enjoy a luxurious cruise with champagne and snacks.
