Day 3- MONA

Wednesday, 28^th November 2012

It was without doubt that MONA, in short for Museum of Old and New Art, was the highlight of the day.  Being the largest privately funded museum in Australia, the museum presents antiquities, modern and contemporary art from the David Walsh collection. There was a noticeable sense of excitement among us before the visit there, given that MONA has been described as a "subversive adult Disneyland." Shouldn’t it be time to grow up?

Located in the Berriedale peninsula near Hobart, we could have taken the school bus to MONA. But we went there via the other way- taking the ferry through the Derwent River. Standing at the bow of the ferry, the wind was absolutely refreshing and not to mention, cold. The winds were strong, stinging our faces as they went pass us. But it being a new experience, the elements were not much of an issue to us. At least we were having fun. 

Constitutional Dock- Where we boarded the ferry

It would be unfair if I do not mention the scenery as well. The ferry ride through the Derwent River was a feast for our cameras, as we passed by the Tasman Bridge, providing a good photo opportunity for all of us. The natural landscape- beautiful mountain ranges, tranquil seas, bright sun, all made the experience unforgettable.

The Tasman Bridge

The Berriedale Peninsula

After the ferry was docked, we had to climb this extremely long staircase to reach MONA, and we were handed an iPod and earphones for the museum tour. MONA made museums seem modern and up to date with technology for once, challenging our notion that museums are old and traditional. The exhibits in the museum had no descriptions, so that is why we had to rely on the iPod given to us, looking for the particular exhibit and its description and at times, interviews with the particular artist who painted the painting. It was a completely different experience from the conventional museums that we visited in Singapore.

MONA- Picture taken from the ferry

Moving on to the artworks in MONA, I would say that MONA has a great representation of “old art” and “new art”. The “old art” was not as old as I expected it to be-no Renaissance or Baroque paintings, but only paintings during the Romantic era. The modern art was the interesting one, as diversified as it was, there were the abstract ones, the morbid ones, and the thought-provoking ones. And to be honest, some of the artworks at MONA were not pleasant to look at, yet such things are part and parcel of modern art. While there is no “one painting for all” when it comes to art, it is all the more we should keep an open mind and take things with a pinch of salt at times. It is alright and normal to prefer certain artworks or be extremely critical of some, but as long as we are mentally stimulated, then I believe that the trip to the museum has been a fruitful one. In this case, I believe we left the museum feeling that we emerged a subtlety different person- perhaps more observant, more open minded or more intrigued into the mysterious world of art. No matter what, it was a fruitful trip. The influence of this trip to MONA on us may not have been felt instantly but the ability to appreciate art will be important should we wish to enrich our lives. For the many of us who were strangers to art until the visit to MONA, may this trip be the beginning of a journey of appreciation to the arts. 

Back to the ferry where we came from, feeling the strong winds that once blew upon us, we made our way back to the dock… 

Written By: Chua Wei Rong