Descending into MONA
At Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art, David expects you to take the stairs
Getting There, The Best Way
At the very top of Suzanne’s list for our time in Tasmania was a trip to the MONA museum (short for Museum of Old and New Art). Set on a hilltop outside Hobart, MONA is the brainchild of David Walsh, an extremely rich guy with strong opinions about art and how people should experience it.
While MONA can be reached by car, the proper way to go is by MONA’s own ferry, which is designed to be part of the experience. You can pay extra to sit in the “posh pit,” but we didn’t, and had no regrets. We took the 2pm ferry from the waterfront right by Salamanca Market. The ferry landing was set inside a glass and steel building on a pier with a cafe and gift shop. We boarded downstairs.
The exterior of the ferry was wrapped in camouflage print, and inside felt like a swanky lounge, even outside the posh pit. On the upper deck, the outdoor section was carpeted in turf and featured sculptural sheep and a cow where seats might otherwise be expected.
David Expects You to Climb
After 25 minutes, our cruise along the wide River Derwent concluded at the base of a scrubby rock cliff, with a massive structure looming far above us.
“Please be advised, there is a staircase with 99 steps to the museum entry,” announced the skipper, “and David expects you to climb them if you’re able.” Naturally, we counted our way to the top.
It was worth the hike. We emerged into a stone courtyard featuring sweeping views of the Hobart hills. Near the edge stood a trampoline enclosed by steel bars, which had a line due to the strict one-child-at-a-time policy. Nearby were other intriguing structures, including a terraced lawn and a geometric seating area that turned out to be a James Turrell piece, though the punchline was lost on us in daylight.
The Only Way In Is Down
We entered the museum from the top floor through a fun-house mirror facade. MONA quickly revealed itself to be one of the most interesting museums we have experienced, not only because of the art but also because of the architecture.
The building is carved directly into the rock, and visitors descend via a circular stair that wraps around a glass elevator to the lowest level, then slowly make their way back up. Exposed stone along the hallways and carefully controlled lighting add to the atmosphere of the museum.
As we circled downward, Suzanne chose her steps carefully, peering over Harlan who was strapped to her chest in his carrier, while the girls skipped down the steps ahead. Our footsteps echoed against the cavernous sandstone walls around us.
When we reached the bottom, we heard clicking and looked up to see an installation that at first appeared to be bands of white and black blocks. As we watched, pixelated words materialized.
Before we proceeded into the heart of the museum, Seiji and Suzanne stopped at the Void Bar for a nice glass of red while the girls enjoyed a piece where rhythmic sheets of water droplets formed words in front of a sheer sandstone wall.
Architecture as Art
MONA’s architecture is integrated into the artwork in a way that creates little moments as you transition between gallery spaces. There is always something engaging to look at, whether it is the texture of the walls, the lighting, or the circulation of ramps and crisscrossing stairs.
In one area, visitors could venture out onto a narrow peninsula inset with a monochrome grid that extended out into an abyss. The whole place felt effortlessly cool without taking itself too seriously.
A Museum for Us All
The museum’s layout was chaotic and disorienting in the best way. We traversed industrial passages and climbed stairs to explore strange and wonderful exhibits.
Ancient Egyptian busts sat beside gaudy collages. A curvy space covered entirely in metallic pleather felt like stepping into a very creative brain. Another favorite was “Convertible Fat Car (Porsche)” by Erwin Wurm, a bulbous red sportscar that appeared to be melting into goo before our eyes.
Harlan danced along to one video exhibit he encountered. We were mesmerized by another room with rows of video screens projecting ordinary people singing in perfect unison to pop tunes, as though they were auditioning for Idol. Everyone in the family found something that stopped them in their tracks. A rare feat for an art museum!
You know an art museum is good when even the toddler loves it!
Coming up next: On the lookout for wildlife and local delicacies on Bruny Island.