MONA, not Lisa

Monday - MONA

Museum of Old and New Art is an architectural wonder and well-worth the AUD25/person entry fee. Designed by Nonda Katsalidis at a cost of $75 million for Tasmanian philanthropist David Walsh, it is literally carved into sheer rock face and descends 3 stories below ground.

Tasmanian David Walsh made a lot of money gambling. Rumor is that he is Autistic Savant. No matter how, he made A LOT of money and began collecting art. MONA houses his impressively eclectic art collection, which (1) he is graciously willing to share and (2) is certain to inspire animated dialog. Walsh’s is the largest private art collection perhaps anywhere in the world and is certainly the most… different. Antiquities are displayed aside contemporary art that often mocks and can even rage against the notion of culture from which it is derived.

MONA sits on a property that was once the Moorilla Estate, 12 kms north of Hobart. It can be reached by car via Highway 1 or by one of the MONA-designated ferryboats, painted in colorful Holstein cow spots that resemble camouflage. The grounds are magnificent, surrounded by Moorilla Estate vineyards and eye-catching iron sculptures, many by Wim Delvoye (my favorite is his chapel).

After paying your entry fee (self-identifying Tasmanians – “yes, yes, second head, etc. etc.” are granted free admission), you are directed to descend to the lowest level where you receive your “O” ipad and earphones. None of the art is labeled and while there are persons around to advise, there are no docents. So you simply tap the “O” icon, the GPS finds where you are and shows you images of the art nearby. You then tap on the image and up pop several options. You can listen to an interview with the artist, music that was commissioned specifically for that piece, and/or read about why Walsh chose to add this piece to the collection (the Gonzo option).

There are any number of restaurants, all serving healthy and tastefully (pun intended) presented food. Also on the menu are Moo-Brews from the estate’s own micro-brewery. There are also bars located throughout the collection. The Void is on the lowest floor and is advertised “Think velvet, sandstone and making eyes at the chick with the black nail polish while you slurp your postmodern martini.”