The moaner behind MONA

And the multi moaner goes to.... DAVID WALSH!


(MONA founder David Walsh. 2015)

Apart from David Walsh's moaning, he is a multi-millionaire gambler and founder of the country's edgiest gallery, Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art.

I recommend watching MONA - Feel the Weird a series on Artscape. 

Click the link below to watch:
https://online.clickview.com.au/exchange/videos/14398/mona-feel-the-weird

Art critic Andrew Frost informally interviews David Walsh as they tour behind the scenes of MONA before the doors open in 2011.
It was exciting to hear from the genius himself although David Walsh's throws a few sly comments out about artists, making myself have something to MOANA about ha ha
I still can't help but want to keep watching!

The place is still a working progress at this stage and from the sounds of things David is still trying to figure it out himself, he calls the place a 'subversive adult Disneyland'. This makes sense as the overarching theme of MONA seems to be death and sex.

Walsh explains, "I can mess with art in a way a public gallery can't... If I had any artistic ability I guess I would paint a picture, but I don't, so I build a gallery."  (Artscape, 2011)
and so he did and with the gallery now open for 6 years and has been a huge success showing popular works by Belgian artist Wim Delvoye, Cloaca Machine. also known as poop machine, mimics the action of the human digestive system and converts food in feces.

(Crap art: Wim Delvoye's 'Cloaca Professional' ('the poo machine'), 2014)

Oh No! but the work can't get too much attention as David Walsh has said he may remove any popular works from the Gallery. I find him both bizarre and brilliant, I understand he is interested in art and he has the power to pick and choose what goes in the gallery but with little art, background why an art gallery?? I suppose David Walsh would answer with "it's in my book!"

TO DO LIST
- read his book - A Bone of Fact

On the topic of fact, the building cost 75 million to build and no one knows how MONA can possibly pay for itself, let alone make a profit although that hasn't stopped Walsh from making entry to the gallery free.


Did someone say free? Next stop Tasmania to see MONA!





Bibliography

Artscape (2011, March 21). MONA - Feel the Weird. [Video file].
     Retrieved from https://online.clickview.com.au/exchange/series/8444/artscape/videos/14398/mona-feel-the-weird

Crap art: Wim Delvoye's 'Cloaca Professional' ('the poo machine').[Image].(2014). Retrieved from
   https://www.australiantraveller.com/tas/hobart-south/hobart/art-starter-reasons-why-you-must-go-to-mona/

MONA founder David Walsh.[Image].(2015). Retrieved from
   http://www.themercury.com.au/lifestyle/david-walsh-teams-up-with-island-magazine/news-story/f3337bfb001e306c4e6d5f0e351f4f54