“Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely ” — Edna St. Vincent Millay
Tasmania heads back into the shadows this June, as the Museum of Old and New Art’s winter festival Dark Mofo returns, to celebrate the dark through large-scale public art, food, film, music, light and noise.
Since Neolithic times, from England’s Stonehenge to Egypt’s Karnak, Ireland’s Newgrange to Machu Picchu in Peru, people have gathered to observe the longest night, to face the darkness and celebrate the return of light. Tasmania’s Dark Mofo combines ancient traditions with current artforms to create a contemporary Australian celebration — a modern-day pilgrimage southwards — that attracts more than 120,000 people to events in and around Hobart across 10 days every year. Spread your wings, anti-snowbirds — now is the time to plan your travel.
Dark Mofo Creative Director Leigh Carmichael said: “Once again, the Dark Mofo 2015 program will be in search of unchartered territory and new experiences for the audience. Those wanting to be pushed out of their comfort zones will have plenty of opportunity, and those that don’t will just have to hang on until it’s over.
“We are also hoping that the ‘Paint the Town Red’ theme catches on more this year, and an even greater number of businesses and organisations join in, to ensure Hobart puts on the party of the year, every winter. I think it’s incredibly important that our interstate visitors get a sense of the whole community being involved in our midwinter revelry. This celebration is now much bigger than the festival itself.”
In its third iteration, Dark Mofo 2015 (June 12 — 22) will feature a number of large-scale public artworks to awaken the stygian Hobart nights, a longer and lustier five-night City of Hobart Dark Mofo Winter Feast on the waterfront (June 17 — 21) , a late-night ceremonial death dance called Blacklist, a new, gritty and gripping Dark Mofo Films program, some new initiatives and major collaborations with partners RACT, University of Tasmania, Detached Cultural Organisation, Clemenger Tasmania, City of Hobart, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Clarence City Council, Salamanca Arts Centre and others, and a wild assortment of music, theatre, performance, exhibitions.
And there will be fire. A lot of fire.
It all builds up to a celebration of the longest night, with all-night performances during the winter solstice (2:38am on June 22) from dusk until dawn, finishing with the annual Dark Mofo Nude Solstice Swim (sunrise on June 22), which last year drew more than 700 people into the River Derwent to greet the return of the sun.
Dark Mofo 2015 program lineup will be announced in April. Hear it first by joining the mailing list: www.darkmofo.net.au Dark Mofo is a project of Mona, supported by the State Government through Events Tasmania and the City of Hobart.
Dark Mofo 2015 also coincides with the opening of a new major exhibition at the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), Private Archaeology by Marina Abramović (June 13 — October 5), curated by Nicole Durling and Olivier Varenne. Marina Abramović – the world’s most recognized performance artist – returns to Australia after a 17-year absence to participate in two projects that continue her extraordinary evolving creative life: a major exhibition, Private Archaeology at Mona, and a residency with Kaldor Public Art Projects Marina Abramovic: In Residence at Pier 2/3 Walsh Bay, Sydney (June 24 — July 5). www.mona.net.au
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Rebecca Fitzgibbon | Events Media Manager | Mona |
