Comments on: An inadvertent icon: the making of MONA

By: zane

zane — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:14:35 +0000

Gosh Blueblood, why all the sycophancy?

By: Blueblood

Blueblood — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 05:02:24 +0000

Gosh Zane, why so resentful?

By: zane

zane — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:24:51 +0000

Got rich, built a gallery. Gee, how totally innovative is that?? Has anyone ever done anything like this before???? And in boring old Tasmania of all places!!! What a model of philanthropy, what a man, what a genius!!!! Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you Walshy. Without you Tasmania wouldn’t have culture at all.

Not.

By: Cate Fowler

Cate Fowler — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 11:50:31 +0000

How can. I opwn article on David Walsh and Mona?

By: John Murray

John Murray — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:53:20 +0000

Having had the misfortune of being dragged through Sydneys Meuseum of Contemporary Art numerous times, it was a surreal pleasure to visit MONA.

Confronted, revolted, bemused, and ultimately astounded, MONA shows what can be done when the committee is shown the door.

NSW should provide Mr Walsh with the MCA as a spill over gallery!

By: Oliver Townshend

Oliver Townshend — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 08:22:38 +0000

Claudio Alcorso was a wonderful person, and a great supporter of the arts and Tasmania. Worthy of a few articles as well.

MONA is brilliant, a hollowed out cavern as a work of art comparable to the Opera House, lets hope it can be supported forever.

By: mikeb

mikeb — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 04:00:47 +0000

“MONA is imbued with the hubris of a man who was inadvertently taught by his community not to respect boundaries and the humility of a little boy who often walked past the peninsula on which it now resides, but who never ventured in, because he didn’t understand that it was okay to have a look.”

Beautiful.

David Walsh. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

By: Coaltopia

Coaltopia — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 02:58:46 +0000

@14 hahaha and a statue of Lang pointing North

By: Mark Errey

Mark Errey — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 02:36:38 +0000

@dunph I shudder to think of the gallery conceived and executed by Gina Rhinehart. Oh the horror, I can see it now, a wing to house the definitive collection of Ken Done tea towels.

By: Hominoid

Hominoid — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 02:25:26 +0000

Thanks, David and Crikey, for a cracking read. Now I definitely want to go to MONA. Cheers.

By: AR

AR — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:36:42 +0000

ooops..

By: AR

AR — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:36:08 +0000

Magnificent; museum, motive and mien of a modest man.

By: AR

AR — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:35:04 +0000

Magnificent; museum, motive and modest man.

By: Kez

Kez — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:11:47 +0000

recently went to both Hobart and MONA for the first time. I’m one of those just want to have a look types. It was the best art gallery I’ve ever been to. That massive skull with the flashing bits mad me cry.

By: jmendelssohn

jmendelssohn — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 06:41:57 +0000

Thank you David for having the courage to follow your own direction – and in doing so enabling the transformation of your island home.
“The Door into Summer” was one of my favourite science fiction books when I was a teenager, and it makes perfect sense that it would have seized your youthful imagination.

By: Karina Randall

Karina Randall — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 05:50:26 +0000

A wonderful article, David! Sometimes stretching boundaries is the only way to grow.

By: zut alors

zut alors — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:42:44 +0000

A fascinating read and insight, thanks, David Walsh.

If only you’d built MONA and, simultaneously, been a sportsman you would’ve been a shoo-in for Australian of the Year.

A gallery built by a human being with vision - not built by a committee. How fortunate we are.

By: Gavin Moodie

Gavin Moodie — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:20:01 +0000

I second paddy’s thoughts. MONA could be established only by a person’s benefaction, which we miss so much in Australia whose public culture is dominated by public institutions, as worthy as they are.

By: paddy

paddy — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:12:08 +0000

On the off chance you are reading these comments David,
a heartfelt thank you.
It seems you write as well as you collect art and build places to display it.

I’ve always thought MONA is *so* special because, it’s one person’s eclectic collection.

Such a nice change from the conventional gallery/museum.

So thanks again for your words on how it evolved and thanks to Crikey for republishing them.

Quite made my day.

By: Michael Noonan

Michael Noonan — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:05:52 +0000

This is a marvellous article. An interesting story by an interesting person and a marvellous writer. Thank you publishers, thank you David Walsh.

By: Gavin Moodie

Gavin Moodie — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 02:26:35 +0000

An interesting read. Thanx to Griffith Review for commissioning it and to Crikey for republishing it.

By: dunph

dunph — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 02:11:21 +0000

David Walsh for Governor General!

I’ve been to the Guggenheims and his is better - now wouldn’t it be nice if some of the WA billionaires (for example) were equally philanthropic towards great art and culture!!