Dark Mofo 2019: Real Violence review
THE brutal virtual reality installation Real Violence lasts just two minutes but it’s a white-knuckle experience not for the faint hearted.
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Real Violence
Artist: Jordan Wolfson.
Part of epic installation A Forest ($20 timed entry on the hour)
Old Forestry Tasmania Building — Melville St Hobart
Wednesday June 12 — Sunday June 16, 5-10pm
Wednesday June 1 — Sunday June 23, 5-10pm
Real Violence is part of the A Forest, the dark fun house in the old Forestry Tasmania building in Melville St.
It’s one of two works that come with a trigger warning, with good reason. Don’t keep reading if you want to be surprised — this review contains a serious spoiler!
Put simply, this is a virtual reality experience of two minutes of brutal violence perpetrated by a very realistically animated version of Jewish artist Jordan Wolfson.
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The virtual reality headsets and noise cancelling headphones come with handlebars to grip on to for very good reason. The experience is brutal. It’s nauseating and disorientating. There is blood, cracking bones, dislocated limbs. The perpetrator stares at you through the screen, passive and non-emotional as he commits the act.
There is no explanation for why and no understanding of the lead up to the event. The only clue we are given is the soundtrack — a man’s voice singing two Hebrew blessings, usually recited during Hanukkah. Cars pass by on the road next to the pavement as if nothing irregular is happening.
Real Violence is not for everyone, it’s certainly not for under 18s and it’s probably not for anyone with a heart condition or a weak stomach.
Don’t let it put you off going to A Forest though. There are some calmer, intriguing and beautiful works in the dark fun house too.
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