Show will go on, says Dark Mofo

DARK Mofo organisers say a controversial performance piece will go ahead as planned, despite widespread opposition to the bloody spectacle.

But animal activists say the battle to stop Austrian artist Hermann Nitsch’s “performance ritual” 150. Action from taking place in Hobart next month isn’t over just yet.

1 5 0. Action has created international headlines and sparked furious debate in recent weeks, as animal rights activists and others express their distaste for the proposed event — which involves a dead bull, its entrails and 500 litres of blood.

“We appreciate the widespread community debate that is unfolding across Tasmania,” Dark Mofo creative director Leigh Carmichael said yesterday. “We respect those people currently fighting for, and against, 150.Action.

“Nitsch’s work seeks to confront the truth of reality. It exposes reality, and it’s an intense experience of reality. It deals with the sanitation of war,

horror, and slaughter. It is grounded in ancient ritual, religion and mythology. It is about death, and sex. We understand why the community outrage has been so passionate.

“For those members of the public who believe that this is no more than shock art, or a publicity stunt, we urge you to look deeper.”

Brightside Farm Sanctuary has offered to provide a safe haven for a bull, should it be spared from slaughter. But Mr Carmichael reiterated that cancelling 150.Action would not save a life.

“Yes, we could select a random animal to live peacefully in a paddock for the rest of its life,” he said.

“This would amount to no more than a futile attempt to reduce our guilt, and in the process further suppress the truth and reality that we are seeking to understand.”

Animal Liberation Tasmania’s Kristy Algar said Dark Mofo may actually struggle to source a bull for the performance.

“This is definitely not over yet,” she said. “And even if it does go ahead, we’ll continue to oppose it until the bitter end.

“Are they going to find a bull? What abattoir is actually going to do this? We’ve heard that a couple might not be keen to be involved in this. So much about this performance is still hypothetical.”

150.Action is scheduled to take place on June 17, with Nitsch to then appear “In Conversation” at the Federation Concert Hall the following day. Tickets for that event will be available from www.darkmofo.net.au on May 5.

For those members of the public who believe that this is no more than shock art, or a publicity stunt, we urge you to look deeper

Dark Mofo creative director LEIGH CARMICHAEL