Animal activists lobby to stop 'bloody, sacrificial ritual' art at Dark Mofo festival
WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT: Animal rights activists are lobbying to shut down a gory June art performance planned at Hobart's controversial MONA art gallery, featuring a slaughtered bull carcass and blood.
The radical works by Austrian "actionist" Hermann Nitsch, 78, known for using animal carcasses and blood in his performance-based installations, represent slaughters and religious sacrifices.
The intended three-hour performance entitled 150.Action is being included as part of the museum's winter arts festival Dark Mofo, which the Museum of Old and New Art warned "contains distressing imagery, nudity and strong adult themes, and is not suitable for children".
Nitsch's piece is being touted by gallery promoters as “a bloody, sacrificial ritual performed by the patriarch of Viennese Actionism, his devoted disciples and an orchestra.”
The Austrian avant-garde artist's planned works has sparked outrage among animal rights groups who have slammed Nitsch's works as "disgusting".
The group has set up a Change.org petition, calling on the Lord Mayor Sue Hickey to cancel the multi-million state government-funded installment.
Animal Liberation Tasmania spokesperson Mehr Gupta told 7 News Online the use of a bull slaughtered specifically for use in the performance piece was "an outdated way of showing creativity".
"The fact he's been doing this show since the 60s shows it's completely outdated... Surely he could find other ways to express his art."
She agreed MONA was known for its controversial installations, and said art that "wiggled a few eyebrows" was fine as long as it didn't come as a result of animals suffering.
The animal activist group told 7 News Online it had fielded concerns from all over the country about Nitsch's works.
Dark Mofo Creative Director Leigh Carmichael confirmed Nitsch's installation "uses meat, fish, fruit and blood, live performers and an orchestra as part of the performance".
He said in a statement that live animal slaughter would not be part of any Dark Mofo performance, but the animal used in Nitsch's performance would be sourced locally, and killed humanely, adhering to Australian standards.
"The animal to be used is specifically on the market for slaughter," he said.
But Ms Gupta said Animal Liberation Tasmania took no solace in being assured the animal would not be be slaughtered during the live performance, but beforehand.
"We think the idea of slaughtering an animal for art is disgusting.
"There is no place for it in Hobart, which is a progressive city."
Mr Carmichael said the Dark Mofo exhibit has been exploring ancient ritual and ceremony since its inception in 2013.
"Hermann Nitsch is a highly regarded international artist who has been presenting variations of this work for five decades, and we believe the work is as relevant today as it was when it was first performed in Vienna in 1962.
“We understand that his work will be confronting and difficult, but we will not shy away from presenting work that challenges us to consider the ethical implications of our actions both today, and in the past.”
The Creative Director also said the gallery was addressing the health and safety regulations around the artist’s intent for the meat to be eaten after the event.
Nitsch's installations have been met with global controversy, having resulted in several court trials and three prison terms.
Despite this, the artist is still performing and has at least three museums devoted to his work in Austria and in Italy.
The 150.Action performance is planned for June 17 and 18 at Macquarie Point, as part of MONA's Dark Mofo exhibition.
