Discussion on:

In Australia, a museum experience that seduces and shocks

I would love to visit MONA.

I'd love to visit the MONA too. A $175 mil building to display a collection worth $1 mil? Not to reduce everything to dollars, but is that right?

I don't know though I am sure that the art is now valued at a lot more after getting so much publicity since MONA opened.
But is not so unusual. The Bilbao Guggenheim cost a fortune to build and actually doesn't have much at all inside. The problem with such gargantuan spaces is that it demands a special kind of gigantism, thus those huge rusting wavy steel plates of Richard Serra. And, the time I visited they had the Jeff Koons giant flower dog in the outside courtyard.
Liked the building and its setting but for art, but not 0.1% of the Venice Guggenheim.

Thanks for your comment rhodez.

I like your Richard Serra reference. When did you visit?

I'd be interested to learn more about art valuation. It makes sense that the art collection would increase in value due to the publicity of the MONA, but I'm wondering what other factors come into play?

And yes, the collection isn't for everyone, and it definitely isn't like the Venice Guggenheim's collection (which I've also seen).

Cheers,
Lieu

Thanks for reading (LedLincoln and theotherwill), and for pointing out that factual error -- nice pick up. It's been fixed.

Like so many Tasmanians before him (not sure about Errol Flynn) Walsh might be looking at a stretch of porridge (gaol). Probably not, but he is under investigation by the ATO (Aus. Tax Office) due to those hundreds of millions he earned by betting online. Apparently when you make your living from online betting it is considered an income rather than like a lottery win which would be tax-free, and the ATO wants their cut as income tax. This would be serious dosh because the top rate in Australia is 40%.
I suspect Walsh will only get his wrists slapped because MONA has become the second largest tourist attraction in Tasmania. He also has almost no money left after sinking every dollar into building MONA, in fact he claims it drove him into big personal loans. Possibly he will do some deal whereby the govt takes ownership of MONA, but let's hope running the place stays in the hands of this wonderful eccentric.

Yes, I did read about this. I think at one stage, David received a bit of financial help from his professional gambling friend Zeljko Ranogajec.

I wonder how much money the MONA brings into the Tasmanian economy -- must be significant.

So, you say it's the second largest tourist attraction, what's the first? The Tasmanian Devil? Are you a resident of Hobart?

Lieu