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ATL Shorts: MONA FOMA 2012 in Hobart, Tasmania

MONA FOMA is an annual festival of eccentric, creative, world famous or little known, new and exciting music & art curated by rock legend Brian Ritchie. Jan 13-22, Hobart, Tasmania.

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From top clockwise: PJ Harvey; BalletLab; Mona Foma crowd 2011; Nell performing at Sydney program launch

MONA FOMA or MOFO for short, launched its 2012 program last week in Sydney with harbour side drinks and canapés and an out-there performance by visual artist Nell rocking AC/DC’s It’s a Long Way to the Top complete with bagpipe backing band. The pipers were flown up from Melbourne – these so-square-they’re-cool guys of a certain age used to play with Bon Scott. Other acts to look forward to in Hobart in January are the incomparable PJ Harvey, Melbourne’s dance troupe Balletlab with a new piece Aviary (stunning costumes by fashion designer Toni Maticevski), the brilliant Ryoji Ikeda from Japan (putting sexy and math in the same sentence), Anima from Iceland, “That duo with a Brechtian punk cabaret attitude” - USA’s Dresden Dolls Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione, the iconic Pierre Henry making a virtual appearance with a piece created just for MOFO …. and even a naked gallery tour of MONA (David Walsh’s extraordinary Museum of Old and New Art) by artist Stuart Ringhold – those who join the tour must also be naked. Let’s hope the weather is kind.

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Top: Amiina; Bottom: Dresden Dolls (photo Kelly Davidson)


The festival kicks off with street party in central Hobart on January 13 – free! – as are lots of events and festival passes are just $50. The great thing about this festival, says mastermind Brian Ritchie, is that “anything can happen”. Expect spontaneous performances, jamming sessions, off the program happenings that are very possibly also off the wall. Expect cutting edge contemporary art curated by MONA’s Nicole Durling. Expect great music of different genres in multiple venues. Book early for the ticketed events. ATL will be. And book early for accommodation too – Hobart ain’t that big and it’ll be straining at the seams during MOFO.

Join the MOFO mailing list to buy tickets from 9am 17th October.
Or not, and buy tickets from 9am 19th October
www.mofo.net.au

Images: Courtesy of the artists, Dresden Dolls photo by Kelly Davidson, Mona Foma crowd 2011 photo by Sean Fennessy, Nell photo courtesy of MONA