Mona curator Kirsha Kaechele looks back on the Ladies Lounge and its popular reopening period

Perfumes, performances and Supreme Court wins, the Ladies Lounge wraps up at Mona following a wild four years. Curator Kirsha Kaechele reflects on its success.

A male butler polishes the 91 Penises artwork by Peter Lundberg at the reopening of Mona's Ladies Lounge. Picture: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

In wrapping up the last days of Mona’s now iconic Ladies Lounge, the exhibition curator and artist Kirsha Kaechele has promised the living artwork “will travel” on.

The Ladies Lounges’ victory lap concluded on Monday after 21-days of revelry and celebrations in the high-society, emerald-curtained and gold-accented space, following its Supreme Court of Tasmania appeal win in September last year.

Mona estimates around 15,000 ladies streamed through the space in its reopening period, an average of around 715 people a day.

Kirsha Kaechele at the Ladies Lounge. Picture: Jesse Hunniford/MONA

Ms Kaechele said the final week and day had “amazing energy” in its last moments.

“The women who visited really let go and gave themselves over to the celebration,” she said.

“Words can’t express how wild things got on that final day.”

In March last year, New South Wales resident Jason Lau lodged a complaint with Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner after he paid $35 for a ticket to Mona, but was excluded from the artwork designed by Mona’s “first lady” Ms Kaechele.

The Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT) ruled that the Ladies Lounge must admit men and in response, Ms Kaechele announced the Lounge’s closure.

Mona appealed the decision in the Supreme Court, with a judge overturning the decision and stating it could be “seen as an arrangement to promote equal opportunity”.

Ms Kaechele reopened the Lounge once it was ensured to remain a women-only space.

Kirsha Kaechele after the decision. Mona ladies lounge appeal verdict at the Supreme Court of Tasmania in Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

While it has had an eventful four years since its opening in 2020, Ms Kaechele said the exhibition had prompted some “really beautiful conversations”.

“I am happy for the installation at Mona to come to an end, but there have been some really

beautiful conversations,” she said.

Mona patrons enjoy the reopening of the Ladies Lounge. Site-specific installation with paintings, collectibles, mink rug and butlers. Picture: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

“I am so touched by the stories women have shared.

“How meaningful the Ladies Lounge is to them, what it symbolises.

“How important it is to have spaces like this.

“I wanted to go out with a bang, and we really did!”

Inspired by the reaction and the Supreme Court win, Tasmanian perfumer Craig Andrade released the commemorative fragrance The Verdict to bottle the Ladies Lounge experience for years to come.

A mix of fine florals, citrus and a hint of spice, Ms Kaechele has praised the eau de parfum as “a disinfectant in environments of strong patriarchal power and toxic masculinity”.

The highs and lows from the Lounge will be something Ms Kaechele misses, even though she hints at a return of the space.

“I will miss the expressions on the faces of the men when they realise they can’t come in,” she said.

“I will miss the butlers and the muscled-up barristers … doing my ironing, feeding me grapes.

“I really see the Ladies Lounge as a space where other women artists can share their work, do healing rituals, share experiences and insights.

“The Ladies Lounge will travel.”

Originally published as Mona curator Kirsha Kaechele looks back on the Ladies Lounge and its popular reopening period