Sadly I didn’t take as many photos as I would have liked to, I was too busy trying to absorb the artwork by osmosis.
However, I got permission today to publish what I did take photos of, so I can share what I’ve got. I will definitely be taking my camera in when I go again (and again, and again – I may have a small Mona addiction).
Probably less than a quarter of the wine that was on offer. A few hours later, there was still plenty of alcohol, but no clean glasses.
A minuscule portion of the fruit tables.
There were too many people to photograph much of the food, which in hindsight was a shame. But that’s okay.
The artwork is equally stunning.
A room called Kryptos, dimly lit with a mirrored roof and binary code along the walls. I loved it.
Plants in hanging glass baskets – I suspect half of the art here is in the shadow they cast.
Loop System Quintet, 2005. Conrad Shawcross – mechanical arms that spin and paint with light – the machines spin to the left and the art they produce is shown on the opposite wall. One motor, one axle, five machines spinning at the same time, with a lightbulb on each of them that spins at different speeds.
And this is the only photo I took in the ‘Sex and Death’ exhibit. P XIII 2008 Berlinde DeBruychere
Lustmord 1994. Jenny Holzer. I found these so beautiful. Words written on the backs of people and photographed. Ten sets of four each.
Thank You to MONA for allowing me to publish photos. Artist information will be added shortly, as soon as I can get hold of it.
Comments
29 responses to “Photos from the VIP opening of MONA”
I cannot wait to go to this art gallery.
I can’t wait for people to go either so I have more people who get why I can’t stop talking about it.
EVERYONE I know who has seen it has raved and raved about it and some were pretty ambivalent about going. I cannot wait to be able to go, just got to get a baby sitter, not going to try it with a 2 and 4 year old!
No, we left the kids with my MIL on Monday so we could go again.
Thanks for sharing, it looks fabulous. The only thing is I’m not sure I’d even go in the sex and death area!
if you don’t go into the sex and death area you will miss Leda and the Swan.
There are some confronting things in there and some amazingly beautiful things. A sculpture of a skull, done in beetles, was just fantastic.
A skull done in beetles I can cope with but the title gives me a feeling it could just be a bit gratuitous for the sake of it. I loved your other photos though.
I loved Kryptos, I spent a lot of time on the middle of it, chatting to people I could hardly see in the dark!
The big bowl of crudités was so yum!
There is some wonderful art in the Sex & death gallery… some poorly done works too, but I think, well worth a look.
Yeah… I’ll stop now… but my oh my…
So did we the first time I saw it! I’m fairly sure we were chatting to someone important, but she was lovely, so it doesn’t matter. Hehe.
Maybe I was chatting to you! hehe
I don’t think so, unless you’re suddenly in your 60’s?
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Veronica Foale, Kim. Kim said: RT @SleeplessNights: Photos from the VIP opening of MONA http://goo.gl/fb/BRzmu […]
I can literally see the gallery from my house and I still haven’t been….
*slaps hand*
GO! Pull all the strings you can to get a baby sitter (easier that way) and GO. It is brilliant, it will blow your mind. I’m a convert, can you tell?
I really, really liked the video “Placebo” by Saskia Olde Wolbers. I was fascinated by the horse pictured above. There was just so much stuff in there to love. It was the first time I had seen the controversial Madonna painting and I was all Meh why was that so controversial??? Then there was Zizi the Affectionate couch I did not feel silly at all stroking a couch to stop it mewing at me 🙂 and the work Lustmord took my breath away. I am going back tomorrow. and again and again and again
I need to go back, just because there is so much I’ve missed still. I need another 20 hours in there. Days and days even.
Looks amazing! What an experience, being part of all that.
Thanks for all the tweets and coverage…definitely visiting there next time we are in beautiful Tasmania.
I can’t wait to go again. It’s amazing, the feel of it – everything.
I have been three times now Veronica, and I am sure I have missed a few things. Would just like a day watching all the videos.
Will be a lovely place to visit over winter on wet and rainy days, and just lose your self for half a day.
I am happy that you where able to enjoy all the amazing acts etc.
Special mention to hubby for being such a good dad and husband to allow you to experience this.
I agree, I’d love to lose myself for hours in there. Just to sit and absorb everything.
And a big special mention to Nat for being so great!
Wow… I wanna go! *sigh*
Come visit Tasmania, we have all the cool stuff. And me! (Win lottery!)
Wow. Just wow.
That was my reaction. Pure awe. It is spectacular.
Oh, that fruit…. It’s the middle of winter here and I’m craving fresh fruits and veggies. The artwork’s not bad either. 🙂
The fruit blew me away AND it tasted as good as it looks.
This time last week was one of the most exciting of my life. Could not believe the party food…such generosity! From now I will look at some Art… It will take a few visits to take it in. Enjoyed our time together over January Veronica <3
Veronica, Kryptos is by local artist Brigita Ozolins (also my PhD supervisor), and the ‘hanging baskets’ are by Australian artist Mikala Dwyer. I’m not sure what the work is called as the work is not in the catalogue, but here’s a link to her page at Darren Knight Gallery: http://www.darrenknightgallery.com/artists/dwyer/artist.htm