No Fixed Abode: Mona or moaner?

Thu 18 Feb 2016 - Seven Mile beach and MONA

Today we planned to go to the Museum of Old and New Art, MONA, in Hobart. It is famous for its architecture (most of the building is underground) and its exhibitions of modern art. We’d tried to appreciate modern art in New Zealand with no success but felt we should give it one more chance in a place of such repute.

Planning to eat out with Keith and Libby in the evening we didn’t need to be there until the afternoon so Keith suggested borrowing their bikes and going for a ride along seven mile beach, which is very close to their house. Having not ridden bikes since Waiheke Island we jumped at the chance.

All geared up with borrowed helmets and gloves we departed along the short road section to the beach entrance then crossed the soft dry sand until we hit the firmer wet stuff. It was an overcast day with a small breeze and cool temperature, just right for cycling, and we set off along the seemingly never ending beach with the wind in our faces. After a few days of inactivity Yvonne had a huge smile on her face and gleefully meandered along the beach stopping now and again to look at starfish and jellyfish that had been stranded by the high tide. We watched the clock for half time then turned around to retrace our steps and returned for a quick lunch with Keith after which he ran us into town to catch the ferry to MONA.

The 20 min ride in the large catamaran, which was painted a trendy camouflage grey, took us around the harbour then under the Tasman bridge and up the lower reaches of the Derwent River to the small headland where MONA is situated. The museum is located in a lovely location with a few teaser exhibits outside to whet the appetite. After looking around a concrete mixer made from rusty iron gratings on the back of a similarly constructed low loader we entered the mirrored facade to the museum proper.

Descending to the underground chamber the first hall we visited dealt with death - charming. With some interesting Egyptian artifacts and a montage of drug taking equipment our hopes were lifted that there might be something here for us. These were swiftly dashed as we watched a video clip of naked women being covered in the blood from animal carcasses, a dead kangaroo suspended from the ceiling and a porsche car made to look fat. It seemed to us that many of the exhibits, including a wall containing dozens of plaster casts of vaginas, were designed to shock rather than appeal to the eye and some we just did not get but there were a few interesting ones:

In one small room was a wall of screens and on each a film showing the head and shoulders of a person singing karaoke style to different tunes played through small headphones. The overall effect created an acapella choir with some of the singers motionless, others dancing wildly and all stages in between. It was a very happy space.

Against a bare sandstone wall a series of computer controlled nozzles dropped precisely measured vertical jets of water beneath a bright white light to create random words written in water. Quite absorbing to watch.

With the museum closing we left still to be inspired by the modern art.

Keith and Libby met us off the ferry at Hobart waterfront and we walked the short distance to the Ball and Chain, a restaurant recommended by one of Libby’s UK friends and a fitting name for an Australian venue, where we had an excellent meal and discussed our experience at the MONA.