New Music

Dark Mofo Is Back From the Dead with 2021 Program

May 14, 2021

7 min read

Described as Tasmania’s midwinter festival celebrating the dark, through large-scale public art, music, feasting, light, sound, and noise. Dark Mofo delves into centuries-old rituals to explore the links between ancient and contemporary mythology, humans and nature, religious and secular traditions, darkness and light, and birth, death and renewal. So in other words, it's a spectacle for the eyes, ears and body during the coldest part of the year in arguably the coldest state in Australia and we're all for its triumphant return in 2021.

Dark Mofo have released their schedule for the year and if you've ever wanted to make the trek down between 16–22 June, then maybe this is your year to do so, because the vast majority of shows, exhibits and activities are free!

Creative Director Leigh Carmichael revealed:

“The sub-theme for last year's festival was Death. When the festival was killed by Covid in March, we were left disoriented, confused and with a sense of loss for a program that was stillborn. The subsequent isolation of lockdown caused further anguish. We, like the rest of the world, found ourselves in the midst of a long dark night. It seems that in moments of despair, when all else fails, we journey inward. A journey that is sometimes referred to as The Dark Night of the Soul. The darkness representing the fact that the destination is unknowable. The only light along the path is that which burns in the soul.

It is within this context that we present our 2021 festival, and pray it brings a glimmer of light in these uncertain times. We invite you to come to the cross.”

If you're a music fan, you'll be able to catch acts like Thurston Moore (USA), Circuit des Yeux (USA), The Dead C (NZ), Wobbly (USA), Om (USA), Jeremy Gara (Canada/Arcade Fire), Lo!, Tangents, A. Swayze & The Ghosts, King Stingray, Misery, Black Cab, Slag Queens, The Amenta, Drug Cult, Grace Cummings, Chloe Alison Escott, Shoeb Ahmad, All Saints Compline Choir, Gavin Bryars (UK)* with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

If art tickles your fancy then there'll be exhibits featuring works from Pope Alice Close Encounters, 404.zero (Russia), Tianzhuo Chen (China), Julie Rrap, Pictoplasma + Akinori Oishi (Germany/Japan), Monira Al Qadiri (Kuwait), Jonathan Schipper (USA), Jonathas de Andrade (Brazil), Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran (Sri Lanka/Australia), Paradise Lost at TMAG, CRONE at Mona.

The Winter Feast is back as is the infamous Nude Solstice Swim, Ogoh-Ogoh Purging and The Burning, Solstice fireworks and some surprises...

With stacks going on, you'll need to see the full program via the website to take it all in. if you wanna know what to expect from previous years, take a look back at our daily wrap ups from 2018 here.

Suss Dark Mofo on Facebook and Instagram