An installation at Tasmania's Museum for Old and New Arts (MONA)

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While in Hobart, Tasmania, we visited the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) located within the Moorilla winery on the Berriedale peninsula. It is privately funded by Tasmanian millionaire David Walsh who describes it as a ‘subversive adult Disneyland’. It is a very controversial private collection and draws visitors from all over the world. It was difficult to take good photos inside but I loved this steel creation which is a flat-bed truck, trailer and cement mixer. It is the creation of Wim Delvoye, a Belgium neo-conceptual artist known for his inventive and often shocking projects. Another of his works in MONA is Cloaca, a large installation which is ‘fed’ food which goes through a series of assembly stations mimicking digestive processes and finally produces realistic-smelling hard matter. Although claiming he’d never sell a Cloaca machine to a museum, he eventually agreed to construct a custom Cloaca specifically for MONA. Thankfully we somehow missed this part of the exhibition. There are few notices anywhere but dozens of staff who take every opportunity to talk to you about what you’re seeing. You’re also provided with a handset. Tasmanians are admitted free but ‘outsiders’ have to pay. I guess if you’re already a millionaire you don’t need to charge everyone admittance. Anyway I thought it was nice that locals weren’t charged.