Hobart- the Capital of Tasmania

Steeped in convict history and aboriginal traumas this very southerly capital was inhabited in 1804 when the first convicts arrived. There are many landmarks to commemorate those times, which are sobering and sad, since so many men and women were brought here to live harsh lives for sometimes the smallest of crimes. It is said that some 65,000 to 75,000 convicts passed through Van Diemen's Land. I dont really need to be reminded of its horrors and injustices so I will leave that aspect of the town to another visit but if this is something that interests you  I suggest you read two books, the "Fatal Shore" by Robert Hughes and "The Secret River" by Kate Grenville. "For the term of his Natural life", a book by Marcus Clarke is written in rather old fashioned language but is also an interesting insight into the life of convicts at the time. 

For this visit I chose to walk the streets and explore Battery point and visit the Museums of Tasmanian art and heritage, not least the world famous, MONA.

If you can, stay at the Henry Jones Art hotel on Hunter Street, made into individual and different rooms, all showcasing art, from the old warehouses that belonged at one point to Henry James who made a fortune from selling his IXL Jams. Here is the famous hotel along the docks in Hobart. 

Breakfast has to be at Jackmans& McRoss and then a walk along the streets of Battery Point to admire the beautiful houses in Hamden Road.

Then a ferry ride to MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art. Designed by a Greek Australian Architect Nondas Katsalidis and funded by Millionaire Tasmanian David Walsh it is an impressive massive structure by the water's edge. You enter through these silver sleek doors and you descend a circular staircase three floors into dimly lit rooms with confronting, challenging, funny, inspirational and sometimes brilliant art. Art which is not to everyone's taste and some may come away revolted at the number of vaginas displayed on the wall or the video art which bordered on blood curling. 

We wandered throughout most of it slightly open mouthed, but chose to photograph those bits of the current exhibition of Marina Abramovic's art to secure some communing with the beautiful stones from which they were built.One of the few art works we could interact with or touch. We are still hoping for the positive outcomes we were promised.

One of my favourites was Sidney Nolan's Snake, a collection of some 1620 separate pastel drawings which he made drawing his inspiration from aboriginal snakes tales.Did he expect to have this displayed like this on a very long wall ?  What was the image in his head when he was making them ?We were fascinated thinking about his intentions.

C's favourite was the  Erwin Wurm's Fat Car which was a sports car with bulging bits to represent our over eating and over indulging fast food society. Quite hilarious and of course spot on !

And finally on leaving - some parking space and a bit more, for the spiritual among us ! I don't know if this was art work or just good ol' Aussie humour.