It's Dark MOFO Time Again

Every winter around the shortest day, Hobart 

celebrates the solstice with a festival of arts and music. In summer we have MONA FOMA which is similar and gets its name from the extra-ordinary Museum of Old and New Art and FOMA is Festival of Music and Arts. The owner of MONA, David Walsh has done Tasmania a HUGE service with his museum attracting work and visitors from all over the globe. With the festivals, he has livened up Hobart with such activity that gets people out of their homes, young and old. Particularly important on cold winter's nights. The occupancy rate of the local hotels have tripled since the festivals have taken place. Here is my take of this years Festival.

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Articulated Intersect. The installation lights up the sky from dusk to dawn during the festival (13 – 22 June) and is visible over a 15- kilometre radius. The powerful searchlights  are able to be manipulated by the public using lever-controllers on the ground to create personalised light sculptures in the sky.

 

An illuminated rabbit artwork by Amanda Parer sits on Hobart's waterfront in an exhibition coinciding with Dark Mofo.

This is called the Ferris Wheel of Death and below is one of the gondolas.