A pleasant surprise will greet travellers touching down in Hobart this winter as they peer out their windows to see a glowing red ‘WELCOME TO ART’.
Hobart Airport and Dark Mofo announce a new partnership, celebrating the opening of Hobart’s internationally acclaimed winter festival with a high-visibility activation: altering the iconic sign that sits atop of the main arrivals terminal.
Along with the temporary removal of the ‘HOB’, visitors will see some other Dark Mofo inspired touches as they travel through the Airport during the festival.
With the Grand Chancellor, Tasman Bridge, and Wrest Point Casino among those choosing to go red in recent years, local support for the ‘Paint the Town Red’ campaign driven by Destination Southern Tasmania, the Tasmanian Hospitality Association and Hobart Chamber of Commerce, continues to create a spectacular image of the city.
Hobart Airport General Manager Corporate Affairs Mel Percival praised the efforts of festival organisers who continue to create an event that surprises and engages visitors and locals.
“Dark Mofo is a unique event, it celebrates our winter season inviting both visitors and locals to embrace the cold, and engage with new experiences. It has been a huge boost in attracting visitors during winter months,” said Ms Percival.
With the support of the Dark Mofo team and some creative thinking we are starting the excitement as soon as visitors touch down in Hobart.
The celebration of all things Dark Mofo coincides with the Airport’s sponsorship of Black Box, a popup performance space which will play host to some of the festival’s most intriguing acts.
“We are excited this year to increase our involvement with Dark Mofo, not just through ‘painting the Airport red’ but also through supporting the Black Box performance space.”
Black Box highlights include RBMA presents Ephemera Live with Tim Hecker and Marcel Weber (MFO), a drone-driven sound and light experience coupled with the scents of conceptual perfumer Geza Schoen.
Accompanying Ephemera Live in the Black Box program will be Welsh dark ambient composer Lustmord, supercodex (live set) from Japanese audio-visual artist Ryoji Ikeda, the ‘hallucinatory’ theatrical performance The Bacchae by St Martins Youth Theatre and Fraught Outfit, and a new dance event addition, Red Bull Music Academy x Boiler Room present Chronicles 003: Mark Pritchard.
Dark Mofo Creative Director Leigh Carmichael said: “Hobart Airport is now the first glimpse of Dark Mofo festivities for most of our interstate visitors, and presents a great opportunity to make them feel welcome. We are very excited about this new partnership and the many possibilities it will provide to enhance the visitor experience.
“In order for us to continue to provide a world-class festival, we need support – and it’s reassuring to see the Hobart Airport is committed to the Tasmanian people, and our state’s cultural activity. We hope that by working in collaboration with Hobart Airport we can attract even more interstate and international visitors to the festival as we move forward.”
Dark Mofo officially commences on June 10 and will run through to June 21. www.darkmofo.net.au
Darl Mofo, Hobart Airport
