Resurrection: Dark Mofo program announced

Dark Mofo organisers have today announced the program for Hobart’s winter solstice festival, with ‘Resurrection’ as the theme for the two-week event, taking place from 8–22 June 2022.
“This year’s festival is a celebration of coming together again, to listen to some music, see some art and eat at the Winter Feast,” Creative Director Leigh Carmichael said.
“As the cultural world re-emerges from the darkness of cancellations and lockdowns, we are all experiencing a rebirth, of sorts. The forced isolation gave rise to a re-evaluation of what matters, to new ideas, new dreams.
“We’ve assembled over 100 artists from 30 countries, from Australia to Belgium to Kyrgyzstan, and look forward to bringing them to Hobart this winter. We’re just grateful to be able to present a full festival program again.”
WEEK ONE (JUNE 8–15)
Dark Mofo invites everyone to gather for the festival’s opening night Reclamation Walk, and after-event The Gathering, joining Aboriginal Elders and knowledge holders, in reclaiming nipaluna as we welcome back patrula / fire and layna / water to the city. Curated by Luana Towney + AJ King.
MUSIC | WEEK ONE
Grammy-nominated Kamilaroi artist The Kid LAROI will bring his chart-topping blend of pop and rap to the festival. Cult favourites from Japan, Boris, will perform their signature noise stoner rock, marking 30 years of the band’s existence.
American artist Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (formerly of the band OM) will perform his original score for Nia DaCosta’s adaptation of the horror classic Candyman. English indie muso Baxter Dury will underscore nocturnal London snapshots and comedown disco with his signature sardonic bleakness.
ART | WEEK ONE
Mona presents 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.
Dark Mofo is honoured to present works by influential video and new media artist Bill Viola, as well as sculpturist and multi-channel video artist Doug Aitken (USA). Jónsi (Sigur Rós) will present a multi-channel immersive experience inspired by the recent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland.
The enchanting interactive installation Rainbow Dream: Moon Rainbow by Japanese/Australian artist Hiromi Tango will present a healing colour palette to hold us in a joyous moment.
Holy Mother of God: Emergency Doll House by Hobart-based Sabio will occupy a three-storey building with a carnivalesque journey into the subconscious via projection mapping, sculpture, and animation.
One of Australia’s most significant modern artists, Sir Sidney Nolan, features in the exhibition For the Term of His Natural Life at Detached Hobart, with works on crayon and paper addressing exile and oppression.
Opening in Week One and continuing throughout the festival, there will also be exciting exhibitions opening at partner venues including Contemporary Art Tasmania, Good Grief Studios, Black Temple Gallery, Plimsoll Gallery and at a variety of locations around the city.
Plus much, much more included on the Dark Mofo website.
WEEK TWO (JUNE 16–22)
MUSIC | WEEK TWO
German electronic artist Nils Frahm will grace us with his masterful array of pianos, synths, and drum machines in Music For Hobart, as will the sublimely radiating tenderness of American artist Perfume Genius.
We welcome the smouldering American multi-instrumentalist Lingua Ignota, and stripped-down acoustic and heavy crushing doom delivered by double-billed American artists Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth Rundle.
Purveyor of sound and legendary founding member of Sonic Youth Kim Gordon will rock us exclusively, plus British transcendental shoegaze space rockers Spiritualized, and the slow-burning instrumentation and swooning vocals of Moses Sumney (USA).
Dark Mofo’s cherished unholy nights of deafening metal include Sanctae Noctis (with Katatonia, Deafheaven, Lingua Ignota, Conjurer, King Yosef, Black Sheep Wall, Diploid, YLVA), as well as festival favourite Hymns to the Dead (Triumph of Death, Chthe’ilist, Krypts, Darkestrah) returns. Plus an exclusive Australian performance by Swiss metal band Triptykon, driven by Tom Gabriel Fischer (Hellhammer, Celtic Frost).
Four micro-festival evenings of experimental and electronic music comprise the program of Borderlands at the Theatre Royal Studio and MAC2, curated by Lawrence English (Room40). The full programs can be found on the Dark Mofo website.
The festival also heralds the return of its two-evening nightclub extravaganza, this year titled Night Mass: Transcendence, taking over central Hobart’s In The Hanging Garden precinct, with a huge and diverse program to be announced soon.
The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra will perform Angel’s Lament, centred around Arvo Pärt’s Symphony No. 4, with string, percussion, and harp, extending a hand in solidarity to those currently affected by Russia’s war actions.
ART | WEEK TWO
 A special industrial facility will be the venue for a live performance of the haunting score of TV series Chernobyl, performed by composer Hildur Guðnadóttir with Chris Watson and Sam Slater. All proceeds will be donated to Voices of Children, supporting assistance to Ukrainian children and families.
ANGER is an exclusive performance celebrating Kenneth Anger’s life work in occult cinema, with Brian Butler (USA) presenting the Australian premiere of Kenneth Anger and Brian Butler’s Technicolor Skull (2011), Australians Marcus Whale and Bree Van Reyk with the score to Anger’s Fireworks (1947), plus there’ll be a bonus screening of Anger’s master work Lucifer Rising (1974).
SIGNATURE EVENTS
Dark Mofo’s debaucherous costume party makes a welcome return, this year titled the Blue Rose Ball. The highly-sought after ballot-ticketed event invites guests to dress for dreaming. ‘It doesn’t get any bluer.’—Gordon Cole (Twin Peaks).
This winter features the return of Dark Mofo’s intimate ritual Memorial, in which locals can bear their loved one’s ashes to the river and have them placed inside a handcrafted firework for the whole community to witness.
The sumptuous banquet known as the Winter Feast will rise again on the Hobart waterfront, to liberate the shackles of normality and unleash the primal. The Feast’s stallholders will be announced in May. 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 Tamanian Masked Owl.
And finally, the Nude Solstice Swim returns like the sun after the longest night, offering renewal and resurrection to those courageous enough to participate.
Plus much, much more included on the Dark Mofo website
TICKETS
Subscriber priority access: 10am Monday 11 April 2022
General access: 12pm Monday 11 April 2022
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