A rough guide to MONA
It
is fair to say that David Walsh obsesses about the first two, and disdains the
latter. As a result, the Museum of Old and New Art and the collection it houses
centers around the former two and has come to fruition due to the latter, or rather
the lack of it. Walsh is the creator of MONA, a local Tasmanian equipped with a
profoundly macabre sense of humor, a fierce art collecting habit and a gift for
writing algebra to beat betting systems. Left to flourish for several decades, Walsh’s
habits have resulted in what we now know as MONA.
Walsh
has created a subversive Disneyland for art and artifact, quickly becoming one
of the biggest tourist attractions in Tasmania with close to a quarter of all
travellers to the Apple Isle reporting to have visited MONA. Not only has it
also established a new Sydney/Melbourne/Hobart arts triangle, in it’s short
existence MONA has achieved what no Australian institution has been able to by
giving Australia a voice on the international arts stage, keeping company with
progressive galleries such as the Guggenheim, Getty and Saatchi. A visit to
MONA ensures a truly world-class art experience just across the Strait, so here
are a few tips on exploring the temple of Walsh:
Take
the ferry. The MONA ROMA ferry is the best way to start your MONA journey
allowing you to take in the beautiful River Derwent and see the building emerge
from the harbor, like a tip of a rusty, angular iceberg, it deceptively hides
the mass that lies beneath. It is a good idea to book the ferry online ahead of
your trip so you can be sure to secure a seat on the early and late trips to
allow for maximum time in the gallery or a sunset drink.
Allow
yourself time. An entire day at least, two days is optimal to fully absorb the entirety
of the collection and the scale and presence of the building. MONA is best done
slowly with plenty of time allocated to getting meaningfully lost in the myriad
of passages, rooms and enclaves that will carry you through the space. For your
unplanned route, you will be equipped with an ‘O‘ that will inform, guide and
amuse you the entire way through. The O is MONA’s version of the wall plaque,
audio tour, artist’s statement and amusing ramble all in an easy to use iPod
device, tracking your stops, likes and hates and then sending your tour to you
at the end of the day.
Spend
your time unwisely. MONA does away with notions of viewing hierarchy and
sequence. You can walk for hours through the exhibitions, take rest on a
giggling sofa, lounge in the library or in my case; it may just take you a day
to find the Anselm Keifer room. MONA is a museum that you discover gradually, revealing
itself incrementally through both understated detail and grand display. The
best way to explore MONA is through guesswork and experimentation, activating a
sense of play and adventure that is a pivotal part of the viewing experience.
Be
hungry and thirsty. Starting from the ferry kiosk to the basement bar, MONA has
many ways to tempt you away from the subject of art and onto the much more
serious subject of eating and drinking, which appears to be David Walsh’s
second obsession in life. Take a casual lunch in the café, dine in the
restaurant or sprawl with some BBQ and beanbags on the lawn. All venues feature
local produce and beverages from MONA’s own Moorilla Winery and Moo Brew
brewery. Discuss your day is over a wine or beer tasting, available at The
Source restaurant where you will be expertly guided through a liquid tour of
Tasmania, plus MONA seems to make much more sense after a few wines.
Stay,
one night at least. MONA has a selection of pavilions inspired and named after Walsh’s
favorite architects and artist such as the Sidney, Walter and Brett options.
These elegant quarters continue the conversation from the gallery and allow you
to fully experience MONA and its surrounds. Each pavilion features works from
the MONA collection inspired by or by the very hand of its namesake. MONA has a
selection accommodation and activity packages that will ensure a memorable
holiday. If timing is your thing, MONA has regular events, concerts, screenings
and annual festival, MONA FOMA that will give you even more reason to leave the
mainland.
