Bow to the gods of debauchery as Dark Mofo festival resurrects

All hail Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of mulled wine-fuelled merriment, whose wild winds of debauchery will envelop Hobart as Dark Mofo summons forth his Bacchanalian spirit. Unleashing a glorious whirlwind of artistic chaos across two weeks marking the winter solstice from June 8 to 22, creative director Leigh Carmichael has reassembled the festival that is no stranger to raising eyebrows and spirits under the banner of ‘Resurrection’.

It’s a fitting theme after two years of maelstrom prevented many of us from ferrying our spirits across the Tasmanian sea. And what a magnificent feast of the weird and wonderful Carmichael has conjured up, with much of it free to see. 

“As the cultural world re-emerges from the darkness of cancellations and lockdowns, we are all experiencing a rebirth, of sorts,” he says. “The forced isolation gave rise to a re-evaluation of what matters, to new ideas, new dreams.”

_{Photograph: Supplied/Dark Mofo | Ogoh-ogoh}

Some 100-plus artists from 30 countries across the globe will descend on Hobart, transforming every corner of the city into a multi-sensory extravaganza. Always packing a program of weird, intriguing and controversial happenings, Tasmania’s midwinter festival is pitched as a setting to explore the links between ancient and contemporary mythology, humans and nature, religious and secular traditions, darkness and light, and birth, death and renewal.

First Nations Elders from across Lutruwita (Tasmania) mark the opening of Dark Mofo by assembling in Nipaluna (Hobart) to lead the Reclamation Walk on Wednesday, June 8, followed by The Gathering in the Dionysian surrounds of an open-air arts block in The Hanging Garden.

Of course, MONA (The Museum of Old and New Art) is in on the action, presenting three new major exhibitions by artists Jeremy Shaw, Fiona Hall with AJ King, and Robert Andrew. The exhibition opening weekend will include a great big winter celebration at the museum – Mona Up Late – featuring music, fire and fun.

_{Photograph: Supplied/Dark Mofo | Sabio}

Music lovers will relish the sweet sounds of Kamilaroi rapper The Kid Laroi, who will rock the MyState Bank Arena on the banks of the River Derwent with chart-destroying tracks from his mixtape F*ck Love and EP 14 with a Dream. Sonic Youth guru Kim Gordon is a massive coup for the second week’s line-up. Folks who dig stoner rock and psychedelic metal would be mad to pass on the 30th anniversary performance of cult Japanese triumvirate Boris, while those who bow at the altar of queer fantabulousness would be remiss if they missed the glimmering baroque pop of Perfume Genius. Multi-instrumentalist Lingua Ignota is a must-see, and you’ll want to catch the electro-soulful blues of Moses Sumney too. Swooping in from the UK, Spiritualized bring their spaced-out brand of transcendental bliss to proceedings. German composer and piano magician Nils Frahm is a treat for sore ears, as are the blissful sounds of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. 

Music and the art world collide spectacularly in Hrafntinna (Obsidian), an immersive work dreamt up by Sigur Rós vocalist Jónsi as inspired by last year’s plane-stopping eruption of Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano. You’ll feel as if you’ve been thrust into the furious heart of the magma-flowing matter. An industrial warehouse will be transformed into the radioactive tumult of Chernobyl, as composer Hildur Guðnadóttir performs the score to the hit TV show of the same name with Chris Watson and Sam Slater. All proceeds will be donated to the charity Voices of Children, supporting young people on the ground.

_{Photograph: Supplied/Dark Mofo | Winter Feast}

Other bizarrely brilliant artworks set to pummel your senses in the very best way include Japanese-Australian artist Hiromi Tango’s trippily interactive work Rainbow Dream: Moon Rainbow, swirling around the otherwise mundane surrounds of the Melville Street car park. Local outfit Sabio combines projection art, animation and sculpture in a three-storey experience dubbed Holy Mother of God: Emergency Doll House. You can catch a series of cool new video artworks from artist Bill Viola for free on Collins Street, and the eerie beacon of blazing light that is Spectra pierces the starry night once more. No worship of the dark arts would be complete without a trip to the Odeon Theatre for Anger, a triple bill of trippy movies celebrating occult filmmaker Kenneth Anger. 

All this and more awaits brave souls open to the surreal and sublime, plus the ceremonial celebrations of Memorial, where the grieving can bring the ashes of their loved ones and bear them unto a handcrafted firework that will then erupt over the Hobart waterfront. Do you have some demons to exorcise? The Ogoh-ogoh returns with the festival’s Balinese-inspired community ritual to purge and then burn our fears, this year taking form as a giant Tasmanian masked owl. You’ll also be able to feast on the streets with the huddled masses when the Winter Feast rises again on the waterfront, splash out in the now legendary Nude Solstice Swim, and mask up in a much more creative way for the resplendent costume masquerade that is the Blue Rose Ball. Because haven’t we all spent the last two years willing our wardrobe to be slightly more exciting than the trusty trackies and hoodie combo? Go all out. You know Dionysus would approve.

Find out more about the program and grab your tickets at darkmofo.net.au.

Want some art now? Check out the best art exhibitions in Sydney this month.