The return of Dark Mofo
Hobart’s wintry nights will once again be transformed as Dark Mofo returns with a program designed to ‘challenge, disturb, excite, and hopefully enlighten’ audiences. This year’s musical lineup includes Antony and the Johnsons, the Preatures and the Drones frontman Gareth Liddiard, the film program includes a screening of new Tasmanian television drama The Kettering Incident and theatre highlights include The Rabble’s performance of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando and Roald Dahl’s The Witches. Mona will focus on Marina Abramovic’s Private Archaeology exhibition, with other visual highlights Patricia Piccanini and Peter Hennessey’s The Shadows and John Kelly’s Antarctica photographs at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Other curiosities include Wild at Heart, a two-night immersive art experience sleepover within Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair national park, a late-night ceremonial death dance called Blacklist and a Witching Hour midnight concert series at St David’s cathedral. It all culminates in the nude swim as the solstice sun rises on the river.
Dark Mofo, Hobart, 12 to 22 June
David Bowie Is at ACMI
It was the fastest selling event in history for London’s Victoria and Albert museum. Americans flocked to it when it landed in Chicago. Now Australians will get to see David Bowie Is, a vast retrospective of the quintessential pop chameleon’s lengthy career. The exhibition includes costumes, music, videos and other paraphernalia from Bowie’s own archives, as well as a dedicated look at his enduring influence on popular culture, and some Australian exclusive memorabilia.
David Bowie Is, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne, 16 July to 1 November
Crossing Time
The Art Gallery of South Australia opens up its extensive Indigenous art collection for the exhibition Crossing Time, with works from communities across Australia, including Arnhem Land and the Central Australia desert heartlands. The bark painting Dead Man by western Arnhem Land artist Lofty Bardayal Nadjamerrek and Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri’s enormous Northern Territory painting Man’s Love Story, which maps his ancestral lands, will be included alongside works by contemporary artists Mabel Juli and Brook Andrew.
Crossing Time, Art Gallery of South Australia, 3 July to November
Byron Bay writers festival
It may be one of the most easygoing towns around, but organisers have pulled out the heavyweights for this year’s Byron Bay writers festival. The first announcement sees Helen Garner, Joan London and Kate Grenville join the lineup, all talking about their literary careers. But the big coup is former prime minister Julia Gillard, who will reportedly open up about her pre and post politics experiences in conversation with historian Clare Wright.
Byron Bay writers festival, Byron Bay, 7 to 9 August
Neil Finn in concert
Paul McCartney reportedly dubbed Neil Finn the greatest songwriter in the world. The man behind Crowded House, Split Enz and the Finn Brothers has certainly chalked up numerous hits over his career. Yet in the past decade, Finn has only played two solo shows and a festival set on Australia’s east coast. So news of two intimate concerts in Melbourne and Sydney are sure to delight fans.
Neil Finn, Melbourne Recital Centre, 27 May, then Sydney on 30 May
