Dark Mofo favourite to return with spectra to pierce Hobart’s skies again

THE much-loved light installation that pierced Hobart’s night sky during the inaugural Dark Mofo festival five years ago is coming back ... and there’s a twist.

Ryoji Ikeda’s light installation Spectra being beamed from the Cenotaph in Hobart during the first Dark Mofo.

THE much-loved light installation that pierced Hobart’s night sky during the inaugural Dark Mofo festival five years ago is coming back to illuminate the city again this winter.

Dark Mofo has announced the program for this year’s winter solstice festival from June 13-24, with Japanese audiovisual artist Ryoji Ikeda’s spectacular spectra set to make an unexpected but very welcome comeback — but this time it will be located at Mona’s Berriedale site.

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A towering pillar of light that reaches 15km into the night sky, going beyond the height of airliners and visible from many kilometres away, spectra will emanate from Mona’s Berriedale grounds from sunset to sunrise on June 21-24, with evening ferries running between the city and the museum.

In 2013, spectra was based at the Cenotaph on the Queens Domain and proved to be a huge hit with the Tasmanian public, with thousands of curious grandparents, mums, dads and kids braving the regular drizzle and low temperatures to enjoy the eerie, extraterrestrial experience up close.

Spectra’s popularity led to calls for it to become a permanent addition to the Hobart skyline.

At the time, Dark Mofo creative director Leigh Carmichael all but ruled out a spectra sequel, saying “it’s not completely out of the question, but we don’t want to get stuck on the one idea’’.

But when that one idea is this cool, it’s worth revisiting.

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