Thursday 13 February 2014

meander at mona .....

Mysterious, marvellous, magical Mona.  I had heard such a lot about this gallery and had been longing to get there.  I have just returned from Tasmania where Steve and I met up to enjoy a week exploring the Tarkine Wilderness, and then there was a window of opportunity to head up the Derwent River and have this Mona experience.  Because that is what it is.

I made the decision not to walk with the audio set on this first visit,  (I say first because the Gallery is ripe for multiple visits) but just walk around and engage with the artwork, find a few pieces that I loved and where I could anchor myself if I found the rest a little too much.  As it was there was no need for those anchors, but I certainly found a couple of pieces of artwork from which it was VERY hard to tear myself away.  You will see by these few photographs that it was in the Pavilion with Anselm Kiefer's rack of lead books and shattered glass that my heart leapt, and also with the 'wind drawings' which were made with a pen attached to apparatus which led outside and was moved in various degrees with the prevailing wind.  When I was watching initially the wind was fairly brisk and the pen was dancing happily across the page .... as I came out of the Kiefer Pavilion I could hear a really aggressive noise coming from the area of the wind drawings and the pen was being thrown violently over and off the page.  A very severe storm had rushed in, making it likely that the ferries could no longer get to the gallery and everyone was sheltering inside.  Luckily, the storm was short lived, remarkable to watch as it whipped up the river into squalls of white mane and the ferry was eventually able to pull up and take us back down the River.  

Not only was there some wonderful artwork in this Gallery, but the building itself is an absolutely beautiful work of art - worth many a visit on its own.  In hindsight I am rather sorry not to have walked around listening to an explanation of all the artwork as I am sure that one's appreciation of each piece is enhanced with knowledge, but I really enjoyed my quiet (not altogether!) wander around in my own little world, appreciating where I could, puzzling through where needed and totally absorbed with a couple of favourites.

(There was an article in The Australian on Monday about the demise of the 'comma'.  I wonder where that would have left my last sentence.)

I cannot give credit to those artists' who created this work, other than Anselm Kiefer of whose work I have been an enormous fan over the years, as none of the works are titled, nor any indication given of the artist beside the work.  Old work and New are all mixed together, juxtaposed and challenging.  A great experience.  Next time I will wander with the audio ....
































10 comments:

  1. Yes, I do recognize some of Anselm Kiefer's works.. I would love to meander through this gallery as well... we have a MONA here too... Museum of Northwest Art.. a wonderful contemporary Museum.

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  2. Hello Donna. This MONA is Museum or Old and New Art and has made Hobart an International art destination! I hope I had edited the copy before you read it - published before checking! I imagine you would like AK's work as much as I do ....

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  3. What a wonderful experience.
    I love all the work in the photographs and again wish I could magic myself there.
    The idea of the wind drawings is such a great idea - with the storms we're having what would be created ?
    I have to go back into hospital next week for more abdominal surgery - I am very down about it as you can imagine. I look forward to getting back on with my life after I'm recovered .
    I look forward very much to seeing some of your new work.
    AND - long live the comma !!

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    1. Thanks Diane - pleased you loved the work but even more so with your 'long live the comma!' :-)

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    1. oh yes ...... and tons more but I felt bad about not crediting the artist's so stopped there! You would love this place .... and loathe parts of it too :-)

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  5. what a fantastic tour through the MONA , I must brave crossing the Bass Strait in the not too far away!

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  6. Only seven works photographed here Mo ..... imagine hundreds and hundreds of images! Think you should take the plunge. As you said - not far across the Strait!

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  7. I am also a fan of Anselm Kiefer's work and have seen it both in London and Berlin but not this piece its amazing. This looks like a fantastic space. Also love the images from your latest entry, it looks so idyllic.

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    1. I am not surprised Keifer has fan's everywhere - his work is really marvellous. I was thrilled to be able to spend time with this work in Mona as I was unaware that his work was part of the collection. So many people came, looked, went while I just stayed and photographed, lingered and adored!

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