Dark Mofo

Dark Mofo is the winter version of the MONA FOMA festival. With many of its events taking place at night, it celebrates the darkness of the southern winter solstice and features many musical acts, large scale light installations and a winter feast. Due to its pagan influence and darker themes, it has been aligned with the Tasmanian Gothic aesthetic in literature and art.[1]

Inverted crosses on display throughout Hobart's city centre during the 2018 Dark Mofo festival

The first Dark Mofo festival was held in 2013 and featured Ryoji Ikeda's 15-kilometre-high light installation Spectra, now a permanent fixture at MONA.[2] The first year also introduced the now annual nude solstice swim that sees over one thousand people dunk in the River Derwent at dawn on the shortest day of the year. Initially the nude swim was banned by police,[3] however the support of politicians and the general public ended with it proceeding and Hobart's mayor Damon Thomas taking part.[4] It has been speculated that this was in fact part of a complicated bet by MONA owner David Walsh, who made his fortune gambling.[5]

Past Dark Mofo line-ups have featured musical acts such as FKA Twigs, Sunn O))), Laurie Anderson, Mogwai, Einstürzende Neubauten, Ulver, Autechre and Merzbow.

The event has courted controversy since its inception, and interstate visitors have noted how different it is to health and safety-obsessed mainland festivals, with one writer calling Dark Mofo "the festival Sydney wouldn't allow."[6] During the inaugural festival, seven people were hospitalised after suffering seizures during Kurt Hentschlager's ZEE, a light installation described as "psychedelic architecture". The exhibit was briefly shut down by the Hobart health authorities.[7] In 2016, a series of artworks were taken down after local art students complained.[8] 2017 saw animal rights activists protest Hermann Nitsch's 150.Action performance piece during which participants writhe in the entrails of a slaughtered bull.[9] The controversy continued in 2018 with petitions from the Australian Christian Lobby and the local Coptic Bishop Anba Suriel calling for the removal of inverted crosses situated around Hobart.[10][11]

In 2020, the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is expected to return in 2021.[12]

Awards and nominations

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
National Live Music Awards of 2016[13] Dark Mofo Best Live Music Festival or Event Won
Tasmanian Live Event of the Year Won
National Live Music Awards of 2017[14][15] Dark Mofo Best Live Music Festival or Event Nominated
Tasmanian Live Event of the Year Won
National Live Music Awards of 2018[16][17] Dark Mofo Best Live Music Festival or Event Won
Tasmanian Live Event of the Year Nominated
National Live Music Awards of 2019[18][19] Dark Mofo Best Live Music Festival or Event Won
Tasmanian Live Event of the Year Won

References
  1. Crane, Ralph (3 June 2015). "Where the dark gets in: why Dark Mofo lightens a crowded calendar", The Conversation. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  2. "Dark Mofo lights up the night" (24 June 2013). ABC News. Retrieved 18 July 2018
  3. "Tasmanian politicians lend their support to nude swim". ABC News. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  4. "Cold shock for skinny dippers". ABC News. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  5. https://www.afr.com/opinion/columns/david-walshs-wisdom-beats-the-odds-20131213-ij8gn
  6. "The festival that Sydney would never allow". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  7. "Dark Mofo seizures: seven people hospitalised during Hobart festival" (22 June 2018), ABC News. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  8. "Dark MoFo piece censored by art school that commissioned it". ABC News. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  9. Dunlevie, James (20 June 2017). "Dark Mofo: Anger, exhilaration in wake of Nitsch 150.Action Hobart performance", ABC News. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  10. "Petition against Hobart's Dark Mofo inverted crosses demands removal". ABC News. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  11. http://www.abc.net.au/religion/an-insult-to-the-people-of-the-cross-sacrilegious-symbols-have-n/10094654
  12. March 11, EAMONN DUFFY //; Reply, 2020 at 8:25 am // (10 March 2020). "Coronavirus Has Caused Dark Mofo To Been Canned For 2020". Wall Of Sound. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  13. "Nominees 2016". NLMA. 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  14. "NLMA reveal 2017 Nominees". NLMA. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  15. "Winners 2017". NLMA. December 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  16. "NLMA announce 2018 nominees and Live legend". NLMA. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  17. "Winners of the 2018 NLMA". NLMA. December 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  18. "HERE ARE YOUR 2019 NATIONAL LIVE MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES!". NLMA. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  19. "AND THE WINNERS OF THE 2019 NATIONAL LIVE MUSIC AWARDS ARE…". NLMA. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
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