Hobart’s MONA FOMA (Museum of Old and New Art Festival of Music and Art) in Tasmania, Australia, has announced its summer festival dates for the New Year, and organisers are bracing for a seismic shake-up of the MOFO festival model.
Curated by Brian Ritchie (Violent Femmes, The Break), MOFO 2015 will be leaping back across the Port of Hobart to Princes Wharf 1 (PW1 festival hub, on the Salamanca side) and surrounding venues for the period of January 15-18 2015, plus a few surprise events either side.
The four-day festival ticket will be packed with music and art – ranging from New York post-punk to Japanese girl groups, Mexican DJ’s, guitar orchestras, inflatables, and interactive sound art – continuing with the tradition of hosting free events around the city in line with MONA’s egalitarian, anti-formulaic and non-hierarchical modus operandi. Try and say that after a few Moo Brews in the sunshine.
“We will be going for a sprawling non-stop 24/7 experience for MOFO 2015,” curator Brian Ritchie says. “Don’t expect to sleep much.”
As if. Previous MOFOs have aligned bluegrass Bach with Bollywood dance music; Mongolian throat-singing with avant-garde opera; electroclash riot grrrl punk with underwater drumming; heavy metal markets with morning meditations. Last summer, close to 45 per cent of MOFO attendees came from interstate and overseas to feel the earth move a bit with an erratic mix of old and new music and art.
“The performance was… look, I don’t know what the hell was going on…” – Marcus Teague, The Vine
“It’s the first time I’ve seen singer wear a business leotard and wish for a form of feminist discourse like basketball: where you get knocked down, get pulled back up and then get drunk over pizza” – Jenny Valentish, Time Out
“Meanwhile, the poor souls at the bar are using sign language to place orders for espresso martinis served in blood bags and vodka-citrus concoctions in urine cups. You read that correctly. Urine cups.” – Darren Levin, FasterLouder
“It’s big, bold and freaky” – Mercury headline
Loosen your grip on the bedrock and revel in the after-shocks with us. MONA FOMA is an initiative of the Museum of Old & New Art (MONA), supported by the State Government, through Events Tasmania.
MOFO takes place in Hobart from January 15-18, 2015. The lineup will be announced in October 2014. www.mofo.net.au
Rebecca Fitzgibbon Events Media Manager Museum of Old and New Art
